Lightning's Destiny
by SedatedDreams
Summary: *Lightning sears and scorches.* After the events of "SkyClan's Destiny," Lightningkit is born to Leafstar, leader of SkyClan. As Lightningkit grows to a warrior, she'll experience battles, friendship, adventure, and heartbreak. Shadowed by a mysterious prophecy since her birth, Lightning must have the strength to be her own cat and decide for herself what her destiny will be.
1. Prologue: A Prophecy

"Push!" Echosong cried.

The silver tabby bent over her leader as Leafstar panted laboriously, her belly rippling with the contractions of birth. Frecklewish stood at Echosong's side, shifting from paw to paw in excitement. As Leafstar gave a quiet grunt of pain, the apprentice medicine cat stilled, but her body still trembled with energy like it was taking all of her power to keep from moving. Leafstar cried out and obeyed Echosong's command. A small, wet bundle fell to the ground. Frecklewish quickly bent her head to scoop the kitten up. The kit began crying almost immediately as Frecklewish set to work licking it clean, ruffling the dark pelt in the wrong direction to warm it. Leafstar lifted her head, straining to see her kit.

"It's a tom!" Frecklewish announced in a high-pitched voice, placing the now clean, black-furred kit at Leafstar's belly.

A loud purr burst from Leafstar's chest. She gazed at her son with wonder in her blue eyes. She had never seen a more perfect looking kit. As Leafstar stared at her son, Echosong laid her paw on Leafstar's stomach, probing carefully.

"One more left, Leafstar," Echosong mewed.

"Alright," Leafstar panted, unable to take her eyes off her kit."Where's Brackenstorm?"

"Waiting just outside the den," Echosong replied.

Leafstar nodded, managing to tear her eyes off of her kit to look up at Echosong.

"Good. Don't let him in until—" Leafstar yowled in pain before she was able to finish her sentence.

Her side rippled under Echosong's paw.

"The second one is coming!" Echosong meowed. "Ready, Leafstar?"

Leafstar nodded in reply, her teeth grinding. She strained, then a second kit was born. Echosong moved forward to pick this one up. The small bundle wriggled strongly as the medicine cat cleaned it off, revealing a female, much lighter colored than her brother.

"A she-cat," Echosong purred, placing the now mewing kitten next to her mother and brother.

Leafstar's eyes were ringed with exhaustion, but her purr was loud and powerful as she circled her tail around her kittens, bending her head to lick the both of them.

 _She's just as beautiful as her brother,_ Leafstar thought, gazing at her kits with shining eyes.

Their damp fur was starting to dry, showing their true colors. The male was a large, handsome, mostly black, kitten with white paws and ears, a grey nose and already broad shoulders. The female was slimmer than her brother and had a more unique coloring. She was a predominately orange tabby with white and light brown tabby patches in a striking, tortoiseshell-like pattern.

"You need some borage for milk and strength," Echosong murmured softly to Leafstar as to not disturb the now resting kits.

Leafstar nodded, but again she didn't raise her eyes from her kits to look at her medicine cat.

"Let Brackenstorm in to see his children," Leafstar said quietly.

Echosong dipped her head to her leader and motioned to Frecklewish to follow. Echosong slipped out of the den and almost ran right into the pacing Brackenstorm, who stood just outside.

"Is she—!" Brackenstorm choked out, concern in his green eyes and his ginger and white fur bushed out and pricking with nerves.

"Leafstar is fine, and so are your children. Go in and meet your kits," Echosong purred.

Joy flooded Brackenstorm's face, and he wasted no time whirling around and dashing into the den.

The medicine cats picked their way down the cliffs to their den at the base. Echosong sighed, flexing her claws as they jumped down off the final rock and reached the sandy floor of the gorge. Even after all these moons of living in the gorge, her paws still got scraped on the rough rock. An image of the tiny, newborn kits' paws flashed into her mind, and Echosong realized they had the rough, grey pads of the Old SkyClan. They wouldn't scrape their pads on the rocks at least.

Echosong and Frecklewish brushed through the ferns that flanked the entrance of the medicine cat's den, entering inside of the cozy cave. Echosong headed right to the herb storage in the back. All of her herbs were organized neatly in little piles in the cracks of the sandy walls of her den, and her supplies were well stocked.

 _Now where did I put that borage?_ Echosong thought, fishing a paw deep into the back of one of the nooks.

A sudden loud rushing sound filled Echosong's ears, sending her heart racing.

Echosong blinked, and she was no longer in her den but standing on top of the gorge, over looking the camp. It was night, but no stars of her warrior ancestors shone above. There was only the dark rolling of storm clouds. Echosong shivered and crouched down, her pelt prickling. She felt alone and trapped without their watchful gaze. Echosong gazed down the cliff, looking for her clan mates in the gorge, but no cat walked out in the camp. They all cowered in their dens, running and hiding from the shadows that loomed ominously at the borders of the gorge, edging ever closer, pressing deeper and deeper into the camp.

Suddenly, the darkness was driven away by a flash of blinding light as a bolt of pure white lightning flashed down from the cloud, striking the ground down in the camp. The grass caught fire, coming up in a sudden blaze and encircling the camp, fending back the dark, oppressive shadows. Thunder echoed in Echosong's ears and her eyes widened in panic at the sight of the flames in the camp. It began to rain, but the water did not put the hot fire out; it still burnt strongly, smoking billowing up toward the sky. Echosong scrambled toward the edge of the cliff, preparing to climb down to save her clan mates from the blaze, but her sight began to fade, her paws moving clumsily.

 _Lightning sears and scorches._ A rough voice hissed in Echosong's ears.

Bewildered, Echosong blinked, then found herself staring at the wall of her den again.

"Echosong, is something wrong?" Frecklewish asked, her apprentice noticing her bristling fur and distressed gaze.

Echosong looked away from the wall, panting slightly. Frecklewish took a step over to her, nudging her shoulder with her muzzle.

"I think StarClan sent me a vision," Echosong murmured.

Frecklewish's eyes widened and bounced up and down on her toes slightly.

"What did you see?" she demanded in a hushed, but excited voice.

Echosong shook her head, the sounds of rain and thunder still clear in her ears.

"I think difficult times lie ahead for our clan. Storm clouds are gathering and soon they will break," Echosong meowed.

She turned towards her herb storage again, and this time, she spotted the borage without trouble.

"I must speak with Leafstar; I will explain more of what I saw in the vision then," Echosong said, snatching up the borage leaves.

"Come," Echosong meowed, padding out of the den.

Echosong and Frecklewish found Leafstar relaxing in the birthing den. Brackenstorm was curled around her, and her two kits were suckling at her belly. Leafstar glanced up as the medicine cats entered the cave, her blue eyes meeting Echosong's gaze. Leafstar looked exhausted, but extremely proud. Echosong placed the herbs down by her leader. Echosong's tail twitched as she glanced at Leafstar out of the corner of her eye. She felt bad for breaking the news of her dark and confusing vision on such a joyous day for her leader.

"Leafstar-" Echosong began slowly.

"Brackenstorm and I have thought of names for them," Leafstar announced happily, cutting her off.

She brushed her tail over the mostly black-furred, male kit.

"He's Nightkit," Leafstar purred.

Gazing down at his kits, Brackenstorm's chest swelled with so much pride and joy he looked like he might burst.

"And she's…" Leafstar meowed, touching her mottled ginger and brown tabby she-cat kit with a paw.

She traced a distinct, jagged tabby marking on her daughter's forehead.

"Lightningkit," Leafstar finished, her gaze filled with love.

Echosong sucked in a sharp breath and froze in place, her mind flickering back to the storm in her vision. StarClan's words echoed in her ears.

 _Lightning sears and scorches._

Leafstar's eyes widened at Echosong's sudden intake of breath.

"What? Is something wrong?" Leafstar demanded, curling her tail around her kits, immediately worried for her kit's health and safety.

Was this vision from StarClan about Lightningkit? Leafstar's own daughter? And what did it mean? The Clan seemed petrified of the storm and shadows. The prophecy about lightning was vague and ominous. But, was it referring to _her?_ This tiny tortoiseshell kit? And, _who_ would the lightning sear or scorch?

"What, Echosong?" Leafstar repeated in a firm voice.

It was an order this time.

Echosong bowed her head.

"Nothing Leafstar. I simply bit my own tongue on accident," Echosong lied.

She could not plant doubt in Leafstar's mind about her own daughter on the day of her birth. Of course, she would tell Leafstar of her vision; she could not keep such things from her leader. And, she would tell her soon. SkyClan must be prepared in order to face whatever trouble was coming. But, not now. Not today.

"Those are lovely names," Echosong meowed, nosing the borage towards Leafstar.

"Now eat this and rest up," she said briskly.

Echosong's gaze flickered to the tiny female kit, and her gaze darkened slightly.

"You have a long few moons ahead."

* * *

 **Allegiances**

 **SkyClan:**

 **Leader:** Leafstar- a pretty cream and tabby she-cat with blue eyes (mate- Brackenstorm, kits- Nightkit and Lightningkit)

 **Deputy:** Sharpclaw- a dark ginger tom with deep green eyes

 **Medicine Cat:** Echosong- a small silver and white tabby with blue eyes

 ** _Apprentice:_** Frecklewish- a light brown tabby she-cat with spotted legs

 **Warriors:** Patchfoot- a black and white tom (mate- Clovertail)

 ** _Apprentice:_** Plumpaw- a dark grey she-cat

Petalnose- a pale grey she-cat with blue eyes

Waspwhisker- a grey and white tom with a long scar (mate- Fallowfern)

Fallowfern- a pale brown she-cat with blue eyes

Sparrowpelt- a tabby tom with amber eyes

Cherrytail- a tortoiseshell she-cat with light green eyes

Brackenstorm (formerly Billystorm)- a fluffy ginger and white tom with green eyes

 ** _Apprentice:_** Rabbitpaw- a brown tom

Ebonyclaw (daylight warrior)- a striking black she-cat with green eyes

Harveymoon (daylight warrior)- a white tom

Macgyver (daylight warrior)- black and white tom

Shrewtooth- a scrawny black tom

 ** _Apprentice:_** Creekpaw- a grey tabby tom

Bouncefire- a ginger tom with bright green eyes

 ** _Apprentice:_** Nettlepaw- a pale brown tom

Wolfshade- a long-furred, dark grey, "smoke" tom with greyish, green eyes

Tinycloud- a small white she-cat with blue eyes

Sagewhisker- a pale grey tabby tom with pale green eyes

Minttail- a grey tabby she-cat with green eyes

Egg- a fluffy cream colored tom with blue eyes

 **Queens:** Clovertail- a white and brown she-cat (Lionkit- a fluffy golden tabby tom with yellow eyes, Briarkit- a spotted brown tabby she-cat with white paws and yellow eyes, Ravenkit- a sleek black she-cat with dark blue eyes)

Leafstar- (Nightkit- a black tom with white fore-paws, white ear-tips and green eyes, Lightningkit- a ginger and brown tortoiseshell-tabby with white, she-cat with amber eyes)

 **Elders:** Tangle- a large tabby tom with rumpled fur and amber eyes

Lichenfur- a mottled grey she-cat with amber eyes


	2. Chapter 1: Lightningkit

A small paw kicked through the air to smack me on my face.

 _Nightkit!_ I thought irritably, squirming away from my brother to curl up closer to my mother's large, soft, warm side.

I nosed myself into her fur, breathing in her sweet, comforting scent and tried to drift back into the sweet, dark embrace of sleep. Then Nightkit's paw thwacked my head again. I mewed angrily, screwing up my nose, and my eyes flickered open.

Blinding light flooded my gaze, and I quickly shut my eyes again, inhaling sharply. After a few heartbeats, I tried crackling open my eyes again, and this time, the light didn't hurt so much. I gasped, widening my gaze as my surroundings suddenly washed over me. I was in a cozy, sandy den, the celling far above my head. Light filtered in through a hole in the far wall, bringing with it fresh scents on the breeze that stirred my whiskers. I looked about, amazed, and caught sight of Nightkit. My brother was curled up next to me. He was about my size. His fur was black, but his paws and ears were white, and his face was screwed up like he was dreaming about something unpleasant. I lifted my gaze from him to look up to my mother. Leafstar was huge and curled protectively around us. We were pressed against her creamy belly, but the cream blended to tabby as it went up her side. Her eyes were shut as she slept. I studied her tabby face, stunned by how beautiful she was.

 _What do I look like?_

Overcome by curiosity at the sudden thought, I looked down at my chest. I had short legs, tiny white paws, a white belly, and a brown chest that was tabby just like my mother, but as my gaze traced its way up my legs to my shoulder and sides, the brown changed to a light orange tabby. Baffled, I studied the color intensely. Neither Nightkit nor Leafstar had an orange like that on them. It look like my back was stained by the orangish sand that covered the floor of the den.

"You've opened your eyes!"

I looked up to see my mother peering down at me with brilliant blue eyes. She purred and rasped her tongue over my head. I burrowed into the soft fur of her chest.

"What's out there in the light?" I mewed, lifting my head to peer back at the hole again.

"That's where the rest of the camp is," Leafstar meowed.

"The camp?" I asked, cocking my head in confusion.

"Is that where Father is?" I asked hesitantly.

I had a vague sense that there was another cat here sometimes, a male like Nightkit.

"Yes. That's where Brackenstorm is right now. And a lot of other cats," Leafstar replied. "They are our Clan."

"What's a clan?" I meowed, eyes widening at the unfamiliar word.

"Stop talking! I'm trying to sleep!" Nightkit meowed suddenly, thrashing his paws about for a moment before opening his eyes.

"Woah!" he gasped, blinking hard and looking around.

His eyes were a clear green. I frowned. What color were my eyes?

"The den is huge!" he gasped.

"Mom says there is an outside too! With lots of cats and something called a 'clan,'" I meowed excitedly to him.

"What?" Nightkit gasped.

"The cats are the Clan. You are a part of the Clan. I am too. Our Clan is called SkyClan. And, we all work together to help each other. There are warriors that hunt and patrol our borders and medicine cats that take care of the sick or injured," Leafstar meowed excitedly down at us.

"Do we get to be warriors too?" Nightkit meowed, eyes widening with excitement.

"I want to hunt too!" I meowed.

"When you're older you can be warriors," Leafstar purred. "But, you have to train as apprentices first."

"Leafstar, I brought you some fresh-kill."

I turned my head to see a large ginger and white tom stride into the den, a shrew clutched between his teeth.

"You've opened your eyes!" He gasped, dropping the food onto the ground, and rushing inside, bringing with him a wave of familiar scent.

"Father?" Nightkit asked, also recognizing his scent.

"Yes, little one," he purred, bending his head to give both me and Nightkit a lick.

"You're so big!" I exclaimed.

"You'll be just as big one day," he purred, nuzzling us then Leafstar.

Leafstar gazed up at him with shining eyes, a purr rumbling in her throat.

"Did you catch that shrew yourself?" I asked.

"In fact, I did," Brackenstorm replied, his green eyes twinkling.

They looked just like Nightkit's.

"Will you teach us to hunt?" Nightkit asked.

"Of course!" Brackenstorm replied, springing to his paws.

Nightkit and I quickly followed him to our feet.

"Brackenstorm…" Leafstar sighed.

Brackenstrom shifted smoothly into a crouch, keeping his legs all tucked carefully under his body.

"This is the hunting crouch!" He meowed.

"Don't you think they're a little young…" Leafstar said.

Nightkit and I crouched down trying to copy him.

"Good job!" he purred, circling us.

"Keep all the power in your back legs! Us SkyClan cats are known for our jumping abilities!" Brackenstorm meowed.

I tucked my legs in closer, squatting down. My paws wobbled under me. Nightkit flattened in ears in concentration.

"Brackenstorm," Leafstar meowed again.

"Just like that!" Brackenstorm purred, giving both me and Nightkit a little nudge to straighten our crouches. "Now… Get Leafstar!"

"Hey!" Leafstar meowed, brow furrowing.

Nightkit and I pounced on our mother with yowls of excitement. Brackenstorm purred loudly as Leafstar fended us off, gently batting me and Nightkit off of her flanks. Leafstar shot Brackenstorm a look as he padded over to her. He licked her head, still loudly purring. Leafstar rolled her eyes and flicked her tail over his nose, but then she started to purr too. Brackenstorm sat down and curled himself up at Leafstar's side.

"Look the little kits are awake!" a unfamiliar voice called from behind us.

A golden tom came barreling into the den. He was no where near Leafstar's size, but he was much bigger than me and my brother. He was followed by a brown, dappled tabby she-cat and a sleek black she-cat that were both his size, and a large light brown and white she-cat.

"Look Clovertail!" the dappled she-cat squeaked, trotting over to us.

The unfamiliar cats crowded closer. I drew back and pressed into Leafstar's fur for comfort. She nuzzled me soothingly.

"Who are you?" Nightkit asked, facing them, but still staying close to our mother's side.

"I'm Lionkit!" The golden tom mewed, giving his bushy fur a shake.

"And I'm Briarkit! And that's Ravenkit!" The brown kit mewed, flicking her tail at her silent, dark sister.

"And, I'm their mother, Clovertail," the big she-cat purred.

"I'm Lightningkit," I piped up, pulling slightly away from Leafstar.

"I'm Nightkit!" Nightkit proclaimed.

"It's nice to meet you little ones," Clovertail purred.

"Are you a warrior? Leafstar was telling us about our Clan. SkyClan," I meowed.

"Yes. I am-" Clovertail began.

"I'm going to be a warrior too!" Lionkit cut her off, puffing out his chest and spring around the den.

"Me too!" Briarkit exclaimed.

"Me three!" Ravenkit spoke finally.

"But, I'll be the strongest of all!" Lionkit crowed, then with a growl, sprung at his sisters.

The three started to scuffle, purring and batting at each other.

I noticed a gleam in Nightkit's green eyes. Then he shot forward, springing right into the fray.

"Oh, Nightkit! Be careful!" Leafstar meowed, half-rising to her paws.

"Wait for me!" I meowed to Nightkit, springing after him.

I landed on Ravenkit's back and gave her ear a nip. The older kit bucked under me, her sleek black pelt twisting.

"It's alright Leafstar, let kits be kits," I heard Clovertail mew to Leafstar.

"Yeah, they're fine," Brackenstorm meowed.

I was too busy fending back Ravenkit's attack to hear my mother's reply. Nightkit was batting at Briarkit while she tried to hold back him and Lionkit. Then Lionkit decided to turn on me, and Nightkit was forced to rush to my defense before he decided to spring at me himself. I was dashing about, trying to avoid my brother's attacks when Briarkit tackled him from behind. Purring, I helped her hold him down. After a while, the five of us came to a panting truce. Moss and sand had been flung all around the den. I sat down amongst my new friends with a heavy sigh. My paws were tired and my eyelids felt heavy. I settled down and leaned over. My head found Lionkit's soft, fluffy side and I let my eyes drift shut.


	3. Chapter 2: The Camp

"Woah," I gasped.

My eyes went wide as the moon as I stared out into the camp from the entrance to the nursery. The sun was high in the sky and shone warmly down into the gorge. There were huge, rocky cliffs on either side, a sandy camp floor, and a winding stream. And cats. Cats swarmed everywhere. They were coming in and going out, carrying prey, going on patrols. There were so many of them.

"How will I ever know all their names?" I meowed.

"Once you get to know them, the names will come easily," Leafstar meowed.

"Do you know all their names?" Nightkit asked.

"Of course," Leafstar purred. "I'm SkyClan's leader. I have to."

"You lead all these cats!" I gasped, looking out the sea of pelts.

 _How could she be the leader of all of them? It just doesn't see possible._

I turned to look back up my mother.

"Well, go on," she purred.

Nightkit took the lead. He bounded forward, but slowed when he reached the edge of the cliff, scrabbling carefully down the path. I followed him, carefully placing my paws in the same places where he stepped. Leafstar watched over us a bit worriedly, staying right at our heels to make sure we didn't fall. When we made it to the ground successfully, Nightkit let out a yowl of triumph and excitedly bounded forward, into camp.

"Stay in camp, alright? And, stay out of trouble," Leafstar meowed.

"Guys over here!" Briarkit called out, waving her tail at me and Nightkit.

My brother and I bounded over to Lionkit, Briarkit, and Ravenkit, while Leafstar padded off to talk to a huge, dark ginger tom.

"Who's that?" I meowed to Lionkit, my eyes wide as I gazed at the huge cat.

"That's Sharpclaw! He's the deputy. And, also the scariest warrior there is," Lionkit said with a shudder.

"Don't let Dad here you say that. Or he'll be mad," Briarkit teased.

"Dad? Patchfoot isn't scary at all!" Lionkit exclaimed.

"Who's Patchfoot?" Nightkit meowed.

Ravenkit flicked her tail to indicate a black and white tom across the camp. I had to agree with Lionkit. Compared to Sharpclaw, he seemed positively scrawny.

"Yep, that's our dad!" Briarkit purred in amusement, before rising to her paws and bounding off. "Now, come on! We'll show you around!"

"Those are the dens," Briarkit meowed, waving her tail to indicate the caves in the cliff face. "The biggest one is the warriors'. The one there is the nursery of course. And, that's the elders' and that's the apprentices'!"

Briarkit pointed each cave out with her tail. I gazed at each of them, trying to take it all in, but before I could, Briarkit was already running off again.

"Follow me!" she meowed, waving her tail.

"Does your sister ever walk anywhere?" Nightkit huffed to Lionkit as we took off again.

We came to a skidding stop at a cave at the bottom of the cliff.

"This is the medicine cats' den," Briarkit meowed.

Ferns shadowed the entrance to the cave. I crept forward behind Briarkit to peer between the leaves and into the cave.

"Hello, kits," a soft voice purred.

The voice startled Briarkit, and she stumbled back into my nose as we backed away from the cave. I was rubbing my muzzle when a grey and white she-cat emerged from the shadows. She purred, sweeping her gaze over us, but she stopped in her tracks when she saw me.

"Hello, Lightningkit," she meowed.

"Do I know you?" I squeaked.

"No. My name is Echosong. I'm the medicine cat," she meowed.

Her eyes were fixated on my own. They were unmoving. My pelt started to prickle with unease.

"Um…" Nightkit said, taking a protective step closer to my side, his gaze flickering from Echosong and back to me.

"Kits! I told you to stay out of trouble," Leafstar meowed, walking over to us.

Echosong jerked and the connection of our gazes broke. Instead, she looked at my mother. Leafstar sent her a burning look in reply. My brow furrowed in confusion and I crouched down slightly.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked.

"No. No," Leafstar said, gaze flickering down to me. "I just need to speak with Echosong."

"Is everything alright?" Brackenstorm said, coming bounding over from the corner of camp.

"Yes. Just, please take the kits," Leafstar meowed.

The two of them exchanged a look. Brackenstorm shot a cold glance at Echosong, before herding the five of us away. I turned my head to see Leafstar and Echosong disappear into the medicine cats' cave.

"What was that about? Echosong is so nice," Ravenkit whispered.

"Why don't I show you two the freshkill pile? And Rockpile. That's where Leafstar addresses the Clan," Brackenstorm said, not hearing Ravenkit.

I shook my head, putting Echosong's strange behavior out of my mind. There were cats crowded around the freshkill pile, eating and talking.

"Bouncefire!" Lionkit meowed excitedly, bounding forward to greet a ginger tom who was devouring a thrush.

Ravenkit followed right after him.

"That's our half-brother," Briarkit meowed to me and Nightkit before running over to Bouncefire herself.

Bouncefire purred a greeting to his siblings. He seemed a bit smaller than the rest of the warriors.

"Why is he smaller?" I whispered to Brackenstorm.

"He's a young warrior. Him and his brother Wolfshade and sister Tinycloud just got their names," Brackenstorm replied.

Brackenstorm flicked his ginger tail to indicate Tinycloud, a small white she-cat sitting in a patch of sun, and Wolfshade, a long-furred deep grey tom who was grooming himself by Rockpile.

"Hello," Bouncefire purred to us as we padded up to him. "My siblings were telling me that you're their new friends."

"Yeah. I'm Nightkit," my brother said.

"And, my name is Lightningkit," I meowed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Bouncefire replied.

He nodded down at the thrush at his paws.

"I don't suppose you've had thrush before? Would you two like to try a bite?" he purred.

It's smell made my mouth water. I bent down and took a bite of the tender meat.

"That's delicious!" I purred, swiping my tongue over my lips.

Nightkit took a bite as well and purred his agreement through his full mouth.

"How are you doing today, Brackenstorm?" a sleek black cat meowed, padding up to my father.

"I'm good," he replied. "Showing my kits around camp."

His chest puffed out as he swept his tail over me and Nightkit.

"Oh! I've heard a lot about you two. Lightningkit and Nightkit, right?" the black cat purred. "My name is Ebonyclaw. Your father and I go way back."

A flash of color in Ebonyclaw's fur caught my eye. A harsh, bright blue piece of fabric was wrapped all the way around her neck. Ebonyclaw spoke to Brackenstorm about her successful hunting patrol for a moment longer before padding away.

"What was on Ebonyclaw's neck?" I blurted out as soon as she was out of ear-shot.

"It's called a collar. Cats that live with two-legs wear them," Brackenstorm meowed.

"Cats live with two-legs? Why?" Nightkit gasped.

"Those cats are called 'kitty-pets,'" Bouncefire muttered.

"Not all two-legs are bad. Some are really nice. There are a lot of warriors in SkyClan that live with two-legs some of the time. They're called daylight warriors. Before you two were born, I used to be one of them," Brackenstorm meowed.

"What?" I mewed, face wrinkling up in confusion.

"My name was Billystorm. My house-folk called me Billy. But, I took a full warriors name when I decided to join the Clan full time," Brackenstorm explained.

"But, why did you want to live with them!" I meowed.

My father furrowed his brow down at me.

"They loved me and took care of me. And, I cared about them," he said.

"But, could you hunt? Didn't they keep you locked inside?" Nightkit meowed.

"They let me out most of the time," Brackenstorm said.

"But-" Nightkit said.

"That's enough!" Brackenstorm meowed suddenly, rising to his paws.

I noticed that our conversation and drawn a few cats' glances. Brackenstorm loudly cleared his throat, and they looked away.

"Come on. I think this is enough exploring for one day," Brackenstorm said.

Nightkit and I meowed goodbyes to Briarkit, Lionkit, and Ravenkit as we padded away, heading back towards the nursery through the crowded camp.

 _"Worthless kitty-pets kits!"_ a voice viciously hissed from behind.

I whipped my head around, but I couldn't tell who spoke.

"Come on, Lightningkit," Brackenstorm called from over his shoulder.

His face was calm and his voice sounded steady and normal, but the fur on his back bristled in anger. I turned and followed my father away.


	4. Chapter 3: Apprentices

"…SkyClan grows stronger with each passing moon. I am so proud to be your leader, and to watch this Clan grow and work together harmoniously," Leafstar meowed before bounding off Rockpile.

"I can't believe that Briarpaw, Lionpaw, and Ravenpaw get to be apprentices already," I complained to Nightkit as I watched my friends leave camp with their new mentors.

The cats had just started to disperse after the apprentice ceremony, but Nightkit and I lingered in the center of camp.

"I know. And, we can't even leave camp yet," Nightkit meowed, his dark face crinkling in displeasure.

I stood and stretched, digging my claws into the ground and yawning. I gave my pelt a shake and prodded Nightkit with my paw.

"Well come on, at least we can play rat-attack on Rockpile," I meowed.

Nightkit wrinkled his face again.

"No. I don't want to," he meowed.

"Why not?" I asked.

"It won't be fun anymore, without them," he huffed. "Lionpaw made the best rat-leader."

"I could be rat-leader, and you could be Firestar," I meowed.

"Then who's Leafstar? The game is dumb now," Nightkit said, rising to his paws.

"No, it's not," I argued.

"Play with Fallowfern's kits then," he meowed over his shoulder, trotting away.

"Seedkit and Creamkit haven't even left the nursery yet!" I yowled after him.

Nightkit didn't reply and bounded off across camp by himself.

I lashed my tail, watching my brother go.

 _Fine. I'll play without him. I don't need Nightkit to have fun._

I turned and bounded towards Rockpile. I leapt up some of the boulders, stopping about halfway up the pile. I surveyed the camp.

 _This is what it must be like for Leafstar to address the Clan._

I closed my eyes for a moment, imagining now that I was leader.

"Hey! Be careful up there!" a cat yowled.

My eyes flickered open and I saw one of the younger warriors, Sagewhisker, looking up at me.

"I'm fine!" I yowled back, waving my tail at him.

I sprung straight to the ground, landing easily from the jump right in front of him.

"See?" I meowed smugly.

"Alright," he mewed, green eyes shimmering with amusement.

Sagewhisker trotted off and I watched him join a patrol with Nettlepaw, Harveymoon, and Petalnose. They headed out, brushing through the undergrowth at the edge of camp.

After a few heartbeats passed, I padded over to where they left, standing at the edge of camp. I cast a few glances left and right. There were no cats in sight. I started to take a step out of the camp.

 _I shouldn't. I'm not supposed to leave camp._

I pulled back.

 _Only for a moment. And, it'll sure show Nightkit!_

At the thought of doing something my brother's never done, I looked around again and crept out of camp. I padded forward through the sandy gorge, the stream twining at my side. I looked around, my eyes wide, taking everything in. Trees started to pop up around me, and soon I found myself in the edge of the forest. I gasped at how large they were. Some towered far higher than the cliffs of the gorge in camp. The scents of prey wreathed around me.

Sunlight flickered down through the leaves and branches. It was beautiful. I wandered around, but I stayed close to the edge of the forest. A fallen leaf got caught in the breeze, and it tumbled across the ground. I sprung at it, pinning it under my paws. Purring, I lifted my paws and it blew away again. I chased after it, batting it repeatedly. After a while, the breeze died down, and the leaf stilled. I straightened, gazing around. A fallen log was to my right. I padded over to it, scoring my claws down its side before spring up on to it and sitting down.

Then, a flash of movement caught my eye. I sprung back to my paws. A grey and white cat padded out of the bushes. He glanced up, and seeing me, walked over. I couldn't remember his name, but his board face seemed familiar and he smelled of SkyClan.

"Aren't you a little far from camp, little one?" the grey and white cat asked, springing up next to me on the log.

I bowed my head, pelt hot with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to explore a bit," I meowed.

"It's dangerous out here," he warned.

I scuffled my paws.

"But, having a brave and curious soul isn't a bad thing," he purred.

I turned, hearing a rustling in the bushes. The grey and white cat's ears pricked, and he rose to his paws. Turning, he leapt off the log and padded back off into the undergrowth.

"Where are you going?" I meowed, springing off the fallen tree after him.

"Hey!" another voice called out from behind me.

Shrewtooth came padding forward through the woods, a squirrel in his mouth.

"What are you doing out here?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry," I meowed. "I know I shouldn't be out of camp."

"Of course you shouldn't," he grumbled.

Shrewtooth looked left and right.

"Where's your brother? I have enough things to worry about and enough hunting to do without having to put looking for kitty-pet kits in the mix!" he said.

I bushed my fur out.

"I'm SkyClan's leader's kit! And Brackenstorm's! Not a kitty-pet!" I snapped at Shrewtooth, anger swirling in my belly.

The scrawny black cat glared at me in reply.

"And, Nightkit is still in camp," I meowed.

Without waiting for Shrewtooth to reply, I took off, running away from Shrewtooth and back to camp. I tore through the woods and down the sandy gorge next to the stream. Then, I burst through the ferns and came to a panting stop in the sandy center of camp.

"Lightningkit! Where have you been?" Leafstar called, bounding over to me.

"I left camp. I'm sorry. I know I wasn't supposed to," I meowed with a sigh, not meeting her eyes.

Leafstar's brow furrowed.

"You could have gotten hurt!" she meowed.

I kicked some sand with my paws.

"I know. But, Shrewtooth found me and sent me back after I talked with…" My voice trailed off and I furrowed my brow, thinking of the grey and whit cat.

"Who?" My mother asked.

"I forgot his name," I meowed sheepishly.

Leafstar shook her head with a soft snort of amusement. I saw Shrewtooth slink into camp and drop his squirrel off at the fresh-kill pile.

 _Should I tell her what Shrewtooth called me?_

"Shrewtooth—" I began.

Then, I remembered the tension in my father's bristling fur when another cat called me 'kitty-pet.' I didn't want to upset my mother like that.

"Yes?" Leafstar asked.

"Never mind," I muttered, looking away.

Then my eyes widened in fear.

"Will you delay my apprenticeship for this?" I gasped, stuck by that sudden thought.

I gazed up at her, dread clenching at my stomach.

"No," Leafstar purred.

Relief washed over me like rain and I relaxed.

"Not for this one thing. But, you can't disobey me again, or you will have to be punished. Kits can't leave camp unsupervised," Leafstar meowed sternly.

"Okay. I understand," I meowed, nodding vigorously.

"Good," she purred, giving me a nudge. "Now head up to the nursery. Nightkit is there."

I bounded off with an eager purr. I had a lot of bragging to do to my brother!


	5. Chapter 4: The Ceremony

My eyes flickered open, and my gaze was greeted by the sight of weak autumn sunlight. I let them drift shut again, but only for a heartbeat before they snapped back open and I remembered what day it was.

 _It's our apprentice ceremony!_

I sprung to my paws, a excited purr bursting from my throat. Nightkit shifted at my side, giving an unhappy grumble at the bump. Leafstar wasn't in the den, but she often left early to attend to her leadership duties. Fallowfern was curled up against Creamkit and Seedkit a little ways away.

"Get up!" I mewed excitedly to Nightkit.

He groaned and didn't open his eyes.

"Come on! Don't you want to be apprentices!" I said.

His eyes flew open.

"I almost forgot!" he gasped, shooting to his feet.

I purred with excitement, jumping around the den. Creamkit stirred in her nest.

"What's going on?" The little cream and grey kit squeaked.

Just then, Brackenstorm's head stuck into the den.

"Are you ready?" Our father purred, green eyes shining.

I quickly stopped my bouncing to rasp my tongue over my coat.

"Hold on! Do I look okay?" I meowed, peering up at Brackenstorm in concern.

"You're beautiful," my father purred in reply, bending his head down to nose me towards the entrance.

Nightkit shoved past me, cutting me off.

"Hey!" I protested as his tail flicked my nose.

I shot after him as he bounded out before I could. We sprung down the cliff, paws flying easily down the trail. Brackenstorm followed more slowly. I sprung the final fox-length straight to the ground, landing with a soft oomph. Even though it was only morning, the camp was already busy and many cats bustled past us.

"Lightningkit!" a voice meowed behind me.

I turned to see Briarpaw come trotting over.

"Today's the day, huh?" my friend purred, her eyes lighting up.

"Yep!" I mewed excitedly, digging my claws into the ground.

"It'll be nice to have you back in the den," she meowed with a wink. "Ravenpaw and Lionpaw can be such bores."

"Hey!"

I purred as Lionpaw came indigently bounding over, Ravenpaw close on his paws.

"We aren't boring!" he meowed.

"Oh please," Briarpaw rolled her eyes.

Ravenpaw crouched down, and giving a growl, she sprung at her sister. Nightkit leapt back as the two of them tumbled his way.

"Help me, Lightningkit!" Briarpaw called as her sister crawled onto her back, giving her scruff a sharp nip.

I shot past Nightkit and barreled the two of them over with a purr. The three of us scuffled on the ground just like when we were all in the nursery together, kicking up dust. Nightkit padded over to Lionpaw.

"She-cats," Lionpaw huffed.

Nightpaw nodded in agreement. The two began to chat about Lionpaw's training as I shook my friends off and got up to quickly clean the dirt off my pelt again.

"Practicing for battle training already?" Leafstar purred as she came over, Brackenstorm at her side.

"Mother!" Nightkit meowed.

"Are you ready?" she asked us.

"Of course!" I replied, springing back to my feet.

"I'm so proud of you two," Leafstar said with shining eyes. She bent her head to nuzzle us one more time.

"Come on, Mom," Nightkit complained, pulling back from her as she rasped her tongue over us.

"I just can't believe you're going to be apprentices already," Leafstar meowed, blinking hard.

I pressed myself against her chest. She licked the top of my head again. Brackenstorm pressed against Leafstar's side. Then Leafstar shook her head with a soft purr.

"Alright then, let's go," she murmured.

Nightkit and I padded into the center of the camp. Leafstar bounded up Rockpile.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath Rockpile for a Clan meeting!" Leafstar yowled.

Cats trickled down from the dens in the cliffs or padded over from the fresh-kill pile, sitting in a semi circle around me and Nightkit.

"Good luck," Brackenstorm purred down to us before he walked away to join our clan mates, leaving me and Nightkit alone in the circle of cats.

Leafstar waited for the Clan to settle before speaking.

"Today we will preform the ceremony of making new apprentices," Leafstar announced.

"But, why can't we be apprentices now?"

My ear twitched back as I heard Seedkit whine from behind me. Her mother shushed her.

"Nightkit, Lightningkit," Leafstar continued. "You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you two will be known as Nightpaw and Lightningpaw."

Leafstar turned to look at my brother.

"Nightpaw, your mentor will be Sharpclaw. I hope Sharpclaw will pass down all he knows on to you," Leafstar meowed.

 _Sharpclaw!_

My eyes widened, and I turned to look at Nightpaw. He held his chin high, seemingly unfazed with being giving the deputy as his mentor. Sharpclaw stood from his spot at the foot of Rockpile and padded over to stand in front of Nightpaw. The huge tom towered over us.

"Sharpclaw," Leafstar continued. "You are ready to take on a new apprentice. You trained Cherrytail and Egg well, and you have shown yourself to be a brave and loyal deputy. You will be the mentor of Nightpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Nightpaw."

Leafstar paused to take a breath.

"Lightningpaw," Leafstar meowed, turning to look at me.

I gulped, paws trembling with excitement as I awaited my mentor.

"Your mentor will be Cherrytail. I hope Cherrytail will pass down all she knows on to you," Leafstar said.

A tortoiseshell and white she-cat padded over from the crowd to stand in front of me.

"Cherrytail, you are ready to take on a new apprentice. You had received excellent training from Sharpclaw, and you have shown yourself to be courageous and intelligent. You will be the mentor of Lightningpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Lightningpaw," Leafstar meowed.

Nightpaw and I leaned forward to touch our noses to our mentors.

"I'm going to try my hardest at everything," I whispered to Cherrytail.

"I'm sure you'll be great," she purred as she pulled her head back.

Our clan mates started to shout our new apprentice names. Leafstar sat on Rockpile, the sun shining down on her tabby fur, her face full of pride. Then she stood and nimbly bounded down Rockpile, indicating that the meeting was over. Briarpaw, Lionpaw, and Ravenpaw padded up to give their congratulations as our clan mates started to scatter. Cherrytail turned to me.

"How would you like a patrol of the territory as you're first apprentice duty?" Cherrytail meowed, her bright green eyes kind.

"That would be great," I purred shyly.

"Take Egg and Wolfshade with you. I'll be taking Nightpaw for hunting training," Sharpclaw rumbled.

I shot an excited glance at my brother. Nightpaw sat with his tail wrapped over his white paws, but I could tell he was excited by the tightness of his shoulders and the pricking of his fur.

"Egg! Wolfshade! Get your lazy tails over here!" Cherrytail yowled.

The two toms came trotting over from where they were talking on the other side of camp.

"Alright, we're coming!" Egg said as they padded up.

"There's no need to be rude, you know, you can't boss me around. I'm not your apprentice anymore," Wolfshade meowed to Cherrytail.

"You may not be my apprentice anymore, but I can always boss you around," Cherrytail said with a purr, giving Wolfshade a shove.

The big, serious tom rumbled a purr in reply.

"Alright, let's go!" Cherrytail meowed, leaping to her paws and bounding out of camp.

Egg and Wolfshade shot after her, with me close behind them. Because of my much shorter legs, I had to take several steps to keep up with their long, loping strides. We tore through the sandy gorge, entering into the forest, where Cherrytail slowed us to a trot. I fell to the back of the patrol, trying to mask how heavily I was panting from that sprint.

"Can you scent any prey, Lightningpaw?" Cherrytail asked over her shoulder.

I opened my mouth and sucked in the sweet, cool forest air. The nutty scent of squirrel hit the back of my throat.

"There's a squirrel near by," I answered.

"Good job," Cherrytail purred. "But, this isn't a hunting patrol, so we'll let that squirrel live another sunrise."

Egg and Wolfshade started to chat as we padded on. I was quiet, half-listening to their conversation about rats, while also gazing about and taking in the beauty of the forest. Then a faint, but potent, scent drifted into my nose.

"There's been a dog here," Egg said suddenly, raising his muzzle to draw in the air better.

I nodded in agreement from behind, at the back of the patrol. Cherrytail stopped us so she could scent the air better.

Wolfshade's whiskers twitched as he breathed in too.

"It's a like a week old, though. Nothing to worry about," Wolfshade shrugged in reply.

"A week? Two days at the most," Egg scoffed, inhaling deeply again.

"What are you smelling? Do you have rabbit fur stuck in your nose?" Wolfshade meowed, laughter in his eyes.

"I think you're the one with rabbit fur, because that scent is not that old!" Egg replied.

As Cherrytail moved the patrol forward again, the toms bantered on, arguing, and shoving each other when they disagreed. It was obvious the two knew each other well and were close. I turned my head to the side, ears pricking, as I faintly picked up the sound of some sort of prey scuttling under a leaf.

"What do you think, Lightningpaw?"

My head whipped back around in surprise. Wolfshade had turned the full force of his attention onto me and was looking at me with very intense green eyes. Egg peered down at me too, from over Wolfshade's shoulder, but I found his gaze much less intimidating.

"Um."

I swallowed, trying to gather my thoughts which had suddenly scrambled and scattered like a rabbit. I was surprised that the warriors had chosen to invite me into their conversation. I thought they had forgotten that I was there. I blinked, forcing myself to break my gaze from Wolfshade's gaze for a heartbeat so I could reply.

"The scent seems about a week old to me," I meowed, my eyes meeting with Wolfshade's again.

"See! Lightningpaw knows how to track," Wolfshade meowed triumphantly, turning on Egg.

"I think you both have rabbit fur in your nose," Egg grumbled.

"I think you're talking so much Egg, that all of the hunting patrols will come back bare-pawed because you scared all of the prey out of the territory," Cherrytail quipped from over her shoulder.

Wolfshade and I purred, while Egg fluffed his fur in embarrassment at being called out by the older warrior.

"Here's the edge of our territory. We've reached our first scent marker," Cherrytail meowed.

SkyClan's scent was like clear flowing rivers and musky oak trees, and it was strong here, marking the border. I took a seat, curling my fluffy tail over my paws and surveying the unfamiliar forest ahead.

"Why isn't that our territory?" I meowed. "Do other cats live there?"

"No," Cherrytail replied. "But, we have plenty of prey and space in the territory we already have. There is no need to patrol and worry about something we don't need."

I nodded in understanding.

"Let's get going. There's a lot more territory that we have to patrol if we want to be back in camp before sundown," Cherrytail meowed.

 _Sundown?! That's so long from now._

I looked up. The sun was clear and bright, right in the center of the sky.

Cherrytail, Egg, and Wolfshade turned away from me, walking away along the border.

I looked at Wolfshade's board, grey back. Determination surged over me and I clenched my jaw.

 _I can't let them know I'm tired._

With a muffled sigh, I rose to my paws and bounded after them.


	6. Chapter 5: Hunting Lessons

"Get something to eat before you head to bed," Cherrytail meowed to me as we trotted back into camp.

I nodded, paws aching with exhaustion as I watched her head off to the warrior's den.

"You did a good job with keeping up with us today. I know the first day can be hard. Why don't the three of us share a mouse or two?" Egg meowed to me and Wolfshade.

My mouth watered in anticipation.

"That sounds great. But, can we make one a thrush instead?" I meowed, slowly following them over to the fresh-kill pile.

"She has better taste than you," Wolfshade snorted to Egg.

"Oh, put a mouse in it. Literally," Egg meowed, hooking a mouse off of the pile with his claw and tossing it at Wolfshade.

Wolfshade crinkled his nose in disappointment, looking down at the mouse Egg gave him as Egg passed me a thrush off the pile and chose another mouse for himself.

"You can have half my thrush if you want. As long as I get half your mouse in return," I meowed shyly to Wolfshade.

His green eyes lit up.

"Thanks. Look, she's nicer than you too, Egg!" Wolfshade meowed.

Egg muttered something unintelligible through a mouthful of mouse. Wolfshade motioned for me to have the first bites, so I settled down next to the warriors and eagerly devoured my food.

The next morning, I padded out of camp behind Cherrytail as the sun rose on the gorge behind us. I yawned, fighting back sleep. I gave myself a shake, and hopped up and down, trying to get the brisk autumn air to wake me up. I had been exhausted after our patrol yesterday and collapsed right in my new nest in the apprentice den once we got back, but my dreams last night were tumultuous, plagued with storms and thunder, making my sleep restless. Then Cherrytail nosed me out of my nest before sunrise, and I was forced to leave the cozy den where Nightpaw, Briarpaw, Lionpaw, and Ravenpaw were still curled up and sound asleep inside.

"Today will be your first hunting lesson," Cherrytail mewed to me once we reached a clearing outside of camp. "Show me your hunter's crouch."

My fur bristled with excitement at the thought of my first hunt, and I suddenly felt wide awake. But, I repressed the excitement for now and slipped into the crouch. I'd spent many days practicing it with Brackenstorm during my kit-hood and the crouch came easily to me.

"Good," Cherrytail mewed, circling me. "But keep your tail still."

Cherrytail pinned my twitching tail with her paw.

"The movement will stir the leaves, alerting the prey of your presence. You have to hold your tail slightly off of the ground," she meowed.

"Like this?" I mewed.

I felt a little silly sticking my tail straight out behind me.

"Yes! Good," Cherrytail purred.

"Now stalk forward," she said.

I crept forward a few tail lengths.

"You're too stiff," Cherrytail meowed. "It's because you're trying to precisely hold yourself in the hunter's crouch while moving at the same time. You're trying to keep your form _too_ perfect."

She purred with amusement.

"It makes your movements stiff and jerky. Prey will hear that and know you're coming. Relax," she meowed, giving my side a nudge.

I tried to loosen my muscles, but my shoulders felt too tight.

"Listen to the wind in the trees. Feel the dirt under your paws," Cherrytail advised, flexing her claws into the ground.

I copied her, digging my claws into the dirt, then sheathing them. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I felt the tension drain from my shoulders.

"Try again," Cherrytail prompted.

I crouched down and glided forward. My muscles where taunt but not tight, and every paw step was smooth and easy.

"Well done! As smooth as a river," Cherrytail purred.

I straightened, pelt flushed with pride.

"Let's try it out on real prey now," Cherrytail meowed. "What can you scent?"

I lifted my muzzle, breathing in the cool air. I filtered through the scents of plants and cats, and a faint hint of owl, left over from the night, and then I found the scent of mouse.

"There's a mouse," I reported.

"Well, go find it," Cherrytail meowed.

I scented the air again. It seemed to be strongest to my left. I crouched down and crept forward through the undergrowth. My ears pricked at the sound of faint scuffling. I saw a little brown mouse poke out from under a leaf at the roots of an oak. I froze, crouched under the shadow of a fern. The mouse scurried a tail length, pausing to nose at the dirt, looking for food. I started to creep forward again, placing my paws down as lightly as the wind. The mouse didn't notice me creeping up from behind. I gathered my haunches under me, leg muscles tightening. I held my breath and remembered to keep my tail still just in time as I unsheathed my claws and leaped.

My paws smacked the tiny mouse body as I landed right on top of it. The mouse let out a faint squeak that was cut short when I gave it a quick nip. I raised my head, the mouse in my jaws.

"Great catch!" Cherrytail purred, appearing out of the bushes to pad over to me.

I raised my tail in pride.

"Now, scrape some dirt over it, and then we'll see if we can find some more prey," Cherrytail mewed.

I dropped the mouse and was starting to bury it when a shrill shriek pierced through the morning air, reverberating through the forest. Icy fear prickled up my spine at the noise.

"Someone's in trouble," Cherrytail gasped.

I was already dashing towards the source of the scream. Cherrytail was hot on my tail, and she soon passed me, her longer legs eating up the ground. We burst through the forest and found ourselves at the bank of the stream.

"There!" I gasped.

A little ways away upstream, Frecklewish was crouched right at the edge of the water. She had one leg drawn up close to her chest and a pile of herbs at her light tabby paws. Her eyes were wide as she stared at something in front of her. I saw what I thought was a branch, shift then coil only a tail length away from her.

"Snake!" Cherrytail hissed.

Cherrytail bounded towards Frecklewish. I followed right behind her. Frecklewish's gaze flashed towards us.

"Don't come any closer!" Frecklewish said, her voice shrill as the snake drew even nearer to her.

Cherrytail and I froze, still a long ways away. The snake was huge: several fox lengths long, and thicker than my legs, with bright yellow eyes.

"Get into the river, Frecklewish!" Cherrytail shouted.

"It's too fast! I can't!" she cried in reply, eyes fixated on the snake.

It hissed at her, long tongue flickering.

"She can if we distract it," I meowed.

I pawed a stone loose from the bank of the stream and smacked it with my paw, sending it flying right at the snake. It hit its scaly side, and the snake whipped its head around to look at me. Cherrytail copied me, hitting a rock towards the snake herself.

"Come and get me!" I hissed to the snake, sending another rock flying its way.

The snake hissed again, this time at me, opening its mouth to show two long fangs.

"Frecklewish, now!" Cherrytail shouted.

Frecklewish leapt into the stream while the snake wasn't looking. Her head disappeared under for a heartbeat, before reappearing, bobbing in the water. Frecklewish's paws splashed frantically as she struggled to swim. Cherrytail leapt into the water, preparing to intercept Frecklewish as she was swept downstream. The snake's head turned, and, noticing that its prey was escaping, it began to slither toward the water.

"No you don't!" I yowled, dashing after it.

"Lightningpaw!" Cherrytail shouted.

Ignoring her warning, I leapt towards the back of the snake, getting just close enough to give the snake's tail a sharp nip before springing backwards and dashing far out of it's reach. The snake whirled on me, giving up on its pursuit of Frecklewish. I bent over to snatch up another stone in my jaws. This one was big, about the size of my head, and it was heavier than I expected. My jaw started aching as soon as I fastened my teeth around it.

 _It's too heavy for me to throw._

The realization brought with it a wave of icy fear that froze me to my core, also freezing my paws to the ground. Before I could decide what to do with the rock, the snake was shooting towards me, taking advantage of my distraction.

 _Run!_

My legs jerked back into action. Heart pounding, I sprinted away, shooting towards the nearest tree, stone still clamped in my jaws. I clawed up the trunk, but I only made it three or so fox lengths when the weight of the stone became too heavy to bear. Panting around the rock in my mouth, I twisted my head to look down. The snake was at the roots of the tree, stretching it's long body up the trunk after me. A shiver raced down my spine as it's unblinking yellow eyes stared deeply into my own.

I lined my head up with its head and opened my jaws.

The rock dropped straight down, crashing into the snake's skull. The snake fell to the ground, withered once, then was still.

I didn't waste time investigating the snake. I climbed part way down the tree, then sprung clearly over it. As soon as my paws hit the ground, I ran away as fast as I could, casting a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure it wasn't after me again.

"Lightningpaw!" Cherrytail called my name.

"I'm okay!" I shouted, sprinting over to her.

She and Frecklewish were limping out of the stream, shivering and soaked. Frecklewish was leaning heavily against Cherrytail's shoulder, one foreleg still drawn up to her chest. Frecklewish's eyelids fluttered as she shifted position, pulling her foreleg slightly off of her chest, and revealing that it was severely swollen.

Cherrytail noticed it as soon as I did.

"Frecklewish!" Cherrytail gasped.

"The snake bit me before you showed up," Frecklewish whispered.

Then she collapsed on to the ground, eyes half-lidded. She began to shake, foam started to gather in her mouth, and her eyes glazed over.

"Frecklewish!" I cried, nosing at her convulsing, tabby side.

"Get Echosong!" Cherrytail yowled to me.

I backed away, gazing with horror at Frecklewish for a heartbeat longer, before I turned tail and ran.

But, by the time I made it back to the stream with Echosong in tow, Frecklewish was already lying much too still. Cherrytail was hunched over her, legs stiff and eyes screwed shut. Echosong let out a cry and bounded forward, nosing at her apprentice's already cooling body. Frecklewish's eyes were still open, but they were empty, gazing out at nothing. I clenched my jaw; grief squeezing at my chest. Sinking my claws deep into the ground, I turned my head aside.


	7. Chapter 6: The First Steps

Our camp was deeply subdued in the sunrises following the death of Frecklewish. It was like a dark cloud hung over the heads of my clan mates, slowing their paw-steps and muffling their voices. Echosong was the one that her death hit hardest. The poor white and silver tabby padded around with her head down, going through the motions of her medicine cat duties without her usual enthusiasm. My heart twisted in pity for her, even if she had always been a bit distant with me.

I was grooming myself in the weak autumn sunlight next to Lionpaw when I heard Macgyver mention Frecklewish's name. My ears pricked up.

"...I heard Frecklewish's house-folk calling for her again today," he meowed to Ebonyclaw. "Those poor two-legs. They don't know what happened to her."

Ebonyclaw shook her head, heaving a sad sigh.

"Who cares what the two-legs think," Waspwhisker cut in. "We lost a medicine cat. All they lost was a kitty-pet."

Ebonyclaw's eyes blazed with sudden anger.

"Frecklewish was more than a kitty-pet!" Ebonyclaw hissed, leaping to her paws.

"Hey hold on—" Waspwhisker began.

"Frecklewish was just a much a part of this Clan as you are!" Ebonyclaw meowed.

Waspwhisker fluffed his fur out defensively.

"I didn't mean it like that," he meowed.

"After all we've done for you, you all still think that you're better than us daylight-warriors. You've always had," Ebonyclaw hissed, unsheathing her claws.

The cats around the clearing started to cast nervous glances at each other. Lionpaw tensed beside me. I noticed Shrewtooth curling his lip back, revealing long, gleaming fangs. The fur on Macgyver's and Harveymoon's backs were bristling. Nettlesplash was growling softly, looking that he might come to his father's, Waspwhisker's, defense.

"That's enough!" A loud voice cried out, and Sharpclaw came bounding between Ebonyclaw and Waspwhisker.

He raked a stinging green gaze over the two warriors, and they reluctantly sheathed their claws.

"What in StarClan's name is happening here?" Leafstar meowed, her voice icy as she appeared in the mouth of her den.

A hush fell over the Clan as she came bounding down the cliff with Brackenstorm at her tail. Her blue eyes fumed as she gazed about at my clan mates. Then, turning, she bounded up Rockpile. Cats silently gathered around without her having to summon them. I padded closer, taking a seat between Sparrowpelt and Nightpaw. Sharpclaw pointedly kept himself between Ebonyclaw and Waspwhisker.

Leafstar loudly cleared her throat.

"I know we are all still upset about Frecklewish's death," she meowed. "It was an unexpected tragedy, but we all know the risks of Clan life."

Leafstar turned to look straight at Ebonyclaw.

"And, I understand that it hit you heavily, Ebonyclaw, considering that you were Frecklewish's mentor when she was training to be a warrior," Leafstar meowed.

Ebonyclaw bowed her head, not meeting Leafstar's gaze.

"But, that is no excuse for this fighting," Leafstar continued, her voice lowering. "How can we protect ourselves from the dangers outside of the Clan, when we are fighting among ourselves? We are supposed to be a team."

"No one here is a kitty-pet," Leafstar meowed loudly, sweeping her gaze over all of us. "We are all SkyClan cats. I will not tolerate this arguing any more. If someone feels like another cat is not performing their duties adequately, they will report to me or Sharpclaw. No more name calling. And, as for you two…"

Ebonyclaw and Waspwhisker scuffled their paws in the sand. Leafstar's eyes flashed as she gazed at them, and she stiffened.

"You two are acting like squabbling kits. So, until you can remember how to be warriors that respect and cooperate with their clan mates, you will be treated as apprentices. You can start by changing the elder's bedding."

Waspwhisker's jaw fell open.

"What?" he shrieked.

"And, I want everyone to be on the alert for snakes, at least until it becomes colder, and they go away for leaf-bare. The snake that killed Frecklewish is dead thanks to Lightningpaw and Cherrytail, but you can never be too careful," Leafstar meowed loudly over Waspwhisker's outburst.

Then she bounded down from Rockpile, signaling that the meeting is over.

"I can't be an apprentice again!" Waspwhisker whined.

Fallowfern was meowing something to her mate, as their younger kits Creamkit and Seedkit bounced around their paws.

"Don't worry, Waspwhisker, we can help with the elder's bedding!" Creamkit squeaked.

Sharpclaw padded over to Waspwhisker to meow something at him. Waspwhisker didn't seem happy, but he slowly got up and climbed to the elder's den. Ebonyclaw reluctantly followed.

"Don't you think Leafstar is being a bit harsh on them?" Sparrowpelt meowed to his sister as Cherrytail padded over to us.

"No," Cherrytail snorted. "She needs to make an example out of them. And, she's right. They are acting idiotic."

"I suppose you have a point," Sparrowpelt meowed.

Then he turned to me.

"I didn't know you killed that snake," Sparrowpelt meowed down to me.

"Cherrytail helped," I added softly.

"Don't let her fool you," Cherrytail meowed. "She's the one that dropped a huge rock on it."

My mentor's eyes gleamed with pride, and my pelt flushed with warmth at her gaze. Sparrowpelt blinked his eyes kindly.

"Well done," he meowed.

"Thank you," I said, ducking my head at the praise.

"It was brave," Wolfshade added, his deep voice rumbling in his chest as he padded over to us.

I scuffled my paws.

"No," I shook my head. "It wasn't. My clan mate was in danger. I was just doing what any cat here would have done."

Wolfshade just blinked his green eyes at me in reply. I sighed, looking away.

"I just wish Cherrytail and I were a bit faster. Maybe then Frecklewish would have been okay," I muttered.

"We did all we could, Lightningpaw," Cherrytail meowed, her eyes softening as she looked down at me.

Nightpaw gave my side a gentle shove. I looked up at him. Nightpaw gave a soft purr before standing and padding away. I watched him go, grateful for his comfort even if he couldn't make himself express it in words.

"Well there is no sense in sitting around and moping all day," Cherrytail meowed briskly, shaking her pelt like she was trying to snap herself out of the gloomy fog.

She turned to me.

"How about we do some battle training?" she asked.

I nodded and stood.

"Good idea," Sharpclaw said, padding over.

He touched noses with Cherrytail, and I blinked in surprise at the display of affection.

"Also, take Harveymoon, and his apprentice, Briarpaw. And, Ravenpaw and Petalnose," Sharpclaw said, scanning the warriors around camp.

"And, Wolfshade," he said, nodding to the nearby dark grey warrior.

Wolfshade dipped his head in acknowledgement.

"And, Minttail. And, Rabbitleap," he finished.

"Maybe tiring the young warriors out with training will keep them from being at each other's throats," Sharpclaw growled cynically.

"I'll make sure they're good and tired alright," Cherrytail said, her eyes sparkling.

"Good. Because you're in charge," Sharpclaw purred, standing and walking away.

We rounded up the cats Sharpclaw named, and our large patrol headed out of camp and towards the mossy training hollow.

"Have you done any battle training yet?" Briarpaw meowed to me as we padded through the forest.

"A little. I did some training a few sunrises ago after my first hunting trip. And, after Frecklewish… you know." My voice trailed off.

Briarpaw was silent, only letting out a quiet sigh.

"Well don't worry. We'll go easy on you," Minttail meowed over her shoulder. "It's really a miracle that you made it out unscathed from that fight with the snake. I would've thought that as snake as big as that would have just eaten you right up."

My brow furrowed and I fluffed my fur out a bit angrily at her comment.

"Pay no attention to her. Just because she's a warrior, Minttail thinks she knows everything," Briarpaw whispered into my ear.

"I don't know what Wolfshade sees in her," Ravenpaw snorted from my other side.

I noticed the two grey warriors were walking rather closely together. I felt a small flash of annoyance at the sight. I was starting to rather like Wolfshade.

"Well, Minttail's nice sometimes…" Briarpaw muttered to Ravenpaw in a weak defense.

We finally made it to the mossy hollow, where Cherrytail divided us into groups. Wolfshade, Rabbitleap, Minttail, and Harveymoon would pair off and practice together, while Ravenpaw, Briarpaw, and I practiced. Cherrytail and Petalnose would supervise us, but switch out with Harveymoon after a while so that they could have some battle training themselves.

"We'll do some straight fighting to get a feel for your strengths and weaknesses before we practice any specific techniques," Cherrytail meowed.

"Lightningpaw, you and Ravenpaw against Briarpaw," Cherrytail said with a nod to me. "Claws sheathed of course. If a cat is pinned for more than five heartbeats, then the battle is over, and the other cat wins."

"Ready?" she asked.

I crouched down. Nervousness swirled in my belly when I thought about all of the other cats here and how they could be watching me.

"Begin!"

Briarpaw sprung at me right away, seeing me as the smaller and weaker target. But I was quick on my paws, and I sprung out of the way in time. Briarpaw's paws struck empty dirt, and Ravenpaw was able to spring and get a few swipes at her sister's face. As Briarpaw turned to Ravenpaw, I came at her other side, landing a few blows myself.

Briarpaw let out a huff of frustration and whirled on me. I recoiled in surprise at her speed. She's gotten a lot fast than when we were kits. She landed a blow on my head, then another, and another. I crouched under the barrage, my ears stinging, unsure of where to turn.

"Use your speed!" Cherrytail yowled.

Finally, I sprung backwards, breaking free. Ravenpaw leapt into the air, twisted and landed on Briarpaw's back, latching on to her fur. Briarpaw nipped at her, but she was stuck firmly. Ravenpaw had her paws tangled deep in Briarpaw's thick brown pelt. While Ravenpaw was clinging to Briarpaw, throwing Briarpaw off balance, I leapt, barreling right into Briarpaw. She tumbled over and Ravenpaw quickly scrambled on top of her shoulders, while I moved to hold down her flanks.

"Well done! Ravenpaw and Lightningpaw are the winners," Cherrytail meowed.

I let Briarpaw up. As she shook the dust off her pelt, I padded over to my mentor, dragging my paws in the dirt.

"What's wrong?" Cherrytail asked, seeing my disappointed face.

"I did bad," I sighed. "Ravenpaw did all the work. I had no idea how to fight Briarpaw."

Cherrytail swept her tail over my back in a comforting gesture.

"They've had three more moons of training than you have. You'll learn. Here, let me show you the first steps to the move Ravenpaw used to leap on to Briarpaw. That's a good one to use on enemies larger than you," Cherrytail meowed, padding over to the corner of the mossy hollow.

As I watched her go, I sunk my claws into the ground, a burning determination filling me and turning my will to steel.

 _I'll make sure no cat or creature will defeat me in battle._

Frecklewish's tabby face flashed into my mind.

 _So that no other clan mate or cat I care about will die._

I clenched my jaw in determination, and I bounded after my mentor, ready to learn.


	8. Chapter 7: The Gathering

The full moon hung brightly in the lower part of the sky. Cats were mingling around camp, waiting for Leafstar's call for the gathering. My paws trembled with excitement. This would be my first gathering, since kits are not allowed to attend them.

It's been a moon since Frecklewish's death, and slowly things were starting to go back to normal. Waspwhisker and Ebonyclaw had been on apprentice duties, but they were allowed to return back to warrior's duties a while ago. The two were still plenty prickly, but there had been no more arguments. They were both here right now, sitting a distance away in camp, and tolerating each other.

"Are you ready for our first gathering?" I meowed excitedly to Nightpaw as we padded out of the apprentice den and bounded down into camp.

Nightpaw wrinkled his nose.

"So we get to sit on Skyrock and freeze our tails off for a while. What's the big deal?" Nightpaw meowed.

"It's a sacred ceremony that the Clans have done for generations," I meowed, taken aback.

Nightpaw shrugged.

"And, I bet it's a lot more interesting back in the forest, where you get to see the cats from the other Clans," Nightpaw meowed.

"It'll still be fun!" I insisted.

Nightpaw just shrugged again and padded away to sit next to Sharpclaw.

"When did you become no fun?" I muttered to myself.

"That's what happens to siblings sometimes," Sagewhisker meowed, padded up to me.

My fur flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry. I didn't mean for anyone to hear that," I meowed.

Sagewhisker purred. His pale green eyes were kind.

"It's alright. I won't tell Nightpaw," he said.

"Thanks," I meowed with a purr of amusement before padding away from him to greet Lionpaw and Briarpaw.

It wasn't long before my mother rose to her paws.

"It's time," Leafstar meowed, walking over to the path that leads up to Skyrock.

I rose to my paws eagerly, as the rest of the Clan gathered and followed her, leaving behind only Fallowfern, her kits, and Lichenfur, who complained that her bones were feeling too achy to make the climb tonight.

We padded up the steep path to climb to Skyrock. Loose stones came crumbling down under my claws as we climbed, and for a little while the path became so narrow that we had to walk single file.

I peered down over the steep edge. The river rushed below and there were pointed rocks at the bottom.

 _No wonder kits aren't allowed_ , I thought with a shiver, seeing the rocks and how high we were from the ground.

Wolfshade was the cat in front of me, and he turned his head to look back as we approached Skyrock.

"There is a big jump to get onto Skyrock," Wolfshade rumbled.

"I can handle it," I meowed, muscles tensing.

He gave one nod and turned his head back forward. I stretched onto my toes to look over his broad back. Leafstar had reached the area where the cliff fell away. I watched my mother crouch down, then leap, sailing over the gap of nothingness, and landing safety on Skyrock on the other side.

One by one, my clan mates followed her, until finally it was Wolfshade's turn. I kept back to give him plenty of room. The dark tom crouched, fluffing his thick fur up. Then he took a few steps and leaped, springing onto Skyrock with tail lengths to spare. He shook out his ruffled coat and looked back to blink at me from the other side.

"Good luck," Sagewhisker meowed from behind me.

I twitched an ear back to let him know that I heard.

I crouched down, just like Wolfshade had. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. Then I snapped them open, bounding forward for a few steps before leaping out into the air and sailing over the edge of the cliff. Wind whipped through my fur. My heart hammered in my chest, and for a moment, I hung suspended in the air like the moon. Then my paws hit the other side, and I stumbled onto the Skyrock, a safe several tail lengths from the edge.

Panting, I lifted my head, and my eyes met with Wolfshade's. He gave a single nod of approval, green eyes glinting in the starlight. I raised my head, eyes shining.

"Well done!" a cat purred from behind me.

I turned away from Wolfshade to see that Sagewhisker had successfully made the jump.

"There must be plenty of Old SkyClan blood in you, with a jump as big as that!" he said.

"Thanks," I meowed, pelt fluffing with pride at the compliment.

"Not in me, though," he added. "I broke my leg when I was an apprentice trying to climb the cliff."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I meowed, wincing in sympathy.

"Nah, it's as good as new now!" he meowed, with a shake of his left back leg.

"Echosong fixed me right up!" he said.

"Well, that's good to hear," I purred, looking at the light grey tom in amusement.

I turned to watch as now Nightpaw approached the gap. I watched my brother's eyes narrow in concentration as he crouched, then sprung. Nightpaw cleared the jump as easily as I did.

"Good job," I purred to my brother as he trotted over to me.

His eyes gleamed.

"Thanks," he meowed.

With a nod of goodbye to Sagewhisker, I walked with Nightpaw over to Ravenpaw, Briarpaw, and Lionpaw, and we took a seat.

"So how does this work?" I meowed to Briarpaw.

"Leafstar will start and speak first," she meowed. "Then, Echosong usually says something, and then maybe Sharpclaw, but then the rest of us can say anything that we want the whole Clan to know."

I nodded, glad that I wouldn't have to participate unless I wanted to. The thought of talking in front of nearly all of my clan mates was a bit terrifying.

Leafstar took a seat in front of us. She seemed to glow in the moonlight, and the stone beneath her had turned to silver under the stars.

"Let the gathering begin," Leafstar meowed, and my clan mates quieted and settled down.

I turned towards my mother.

"This moon brought SkyClan tragedy with the death of Frecklewish, but I know she is looking down at us from StarClan. And, I am grateful to StarClan that the rest of this moon was spent in peace," Leafstar meowed.

"I'd like to thank all of you for getting along, and how well you've cooperated towards the end of this moon," she said, flashing a glance at Waspwhisker and Ebonyclaw.

The two bent their heads sheepishly.

"Echosong, do you have anything to say?" Leafstar asked.

The dainty grey and white tabby stepped forward.

"I miss Frecklewish with every passing day, but I know she is watching us in StarClan," Echosong meowed, casting her gaze upwards to search Silverpelt.

Then she lowered her head and cleared her throat.

"There have been no sicknesses this moon, but I want to remind everyone that with leaf-bare approaching, to stay healthy and to keep on the look out for coughs," she meowed before sitting, signally that she was done.

Sharpclaw stood.

"Echosong is right. Leaf-bare is approaching. We need to start stocking up on prey while we still can," Sharpclaw meowed.

Leafstar nodded in agreement with her deputy as he sat again.

"Now does any other cat have anything to say?" Leafstar asked.

Cherrytail stood.

"I wanted to commend my apprentice, Lightningpaw. She showed great bravery and quick thinking when she fought the snake," Cherrytail meowed.

My fur flushed as every cat turned to look at me.

"That's amazing." "So young too." "She'll be a warrior as fine as her mother."

My clan mates purred praise at me. I heard Brackenstorm's voice among them. I turned to see him purring happily at me. I bowed my head, and Lionpaw gave me a friendly nudge.

"You're such a show-off," Lionpaw teased. "You're making the rest of us apprentices look bad."

"Shut up," I purred, shoving him back.

Leafstar's eyes gleamed with pride as my clan mates complimented me.

"Anyone else?" she asked.

Not to be out done, Sharpclaw got back onto his feet.

"Nightpaw caught the biggest rabbit I've ever seen a few sunrises ago," Sharpclaw boasted.

"Well done, Nightpaw." "Woah!" "Really?"

My clan mates turned to my brother. He fluffed his coat out and sat up straighter.

Cherrytail's eyes gleamed.

"Oh, yeah? Lightningpaw caught _three_ mice the other—"

"That's enough you two," Leafstar meowed to Cherrytail and Sharpclaw, but there was amusement in her voice, and her pelt prickled with pride for me and my brother.

"Does _someone else_ have something to say?" Leafstar asked.

"The patrol I led chased two rogues out of our territory at our Southern border a little while ago," Sparrowpelt meowed. "They were hostile and stealing prey. Then I picked up their scent again yesterday. Keep a look out for those two."

Leafstar nodded.

"Stay on the alert for unfamiliar scents, and report to me or Sharpclaw if these rogues are seen again," she said.

"There was also some fox scent near our border at two-leg place," Clovertail meowed. "The daylight warriors might want to be careful when leaving or entering our territory there."

"Good point," Leafstar meowed with a dip of her head to Clovertail. "Does any other cat have anything to report?"

Leafstar looked around. The Clan was silent.

"Alright. Then this gathering is over," Leafstar meowed.

She took a moment to cast a final glance upwards, towards the stars, before leaping off of Skyrock. I watched my clan mates follow her, leaping off Skyrock and heading back down the narrow trail to camp. But, I held back, lingering on Skyrock for a while longer. I padded over to the very edge of Skyrock to peer down at the ground of the gorge, so far below.

 _We are so high._

I closed my eyes, breathing in the cool night air. As my clan mates drew further away, a hush fell over Skyrock. I could hear the dripping of water and the sighing of the wind. I flickered my eyes open again to sweep my gaze over the gorge. The sandy cliffs, reddish rocks, and black river were below me, and on the other side of the gorge on top of the cliffs, a dark forest rose, framed by a indigo sky filled with twinkling stars. I turned to look at the grasslands behind me and the two-leg place in the distance, and I was startled to see the silhouette of another cat on Skyrock. I jumped slightly, getting to my feet.

"I'm sorry," I meowed. "I didn't realize anyone else was still here."

The cat padded towards me, and, as he came closer, I realized it was Wolfshade.

"I didn't want to disturb you. I'm on guard duty," he explained.

"You really can see the whole territory from here, can't you?" I meowed, looking out over the gorge again.

"It's beautiful," I whispered with awe.

Wolfshade nodded in agreement. He stood silently at my shoulder.

"Well, I'll get going," I said, rising to my paws, and taking a few steps forward.

Behind Wolfshade, my gaze caught a flicker of movement, and I saw a silhouette of another cat, standing at the far end of Skyrock, watching me. I looked back at Wolfshade.

"Is he on guard duty too?" I asked.

Wolfshade twisted his head to look over his shoulder. His brow furrowed.

"Who?" he meowed.

I looked again. I swept my gaze over the entire rock, but there was no silhouette. Skyrock was empty expect for me and Wolfshade. My brow furrowed in puzzlement.

"I-I—"

I blinked hard.

"The shadows must be playing tricks on my eyes," I meowed, giving my head a shake.

I looked around carefully as I padded to the edge of Skyrock. But, there was nothing there.

 _It was nothing. A trick of the moonlight._

I put it out of my mind.

"Goodnight Wolfshade," I meowed.

He gave me another nod.

I turned and sprung across the gap. I landed safely on the trail on the other side and padded away, leaving Wolfshade alone with the night.


	9. Chapter 8: Fighting Practice

I followed my brother out of camp. Nightpaw's eyes gleamed as he strode forward. I matched his pace, step for step, and I noticed his shoulders were a bit higher than my own now. I frowned and subtly stretched up onto my toes slightly so our heights were equal again.

"Are you two ready for some battle practice?" Cherrytail meowed as she walked ahead with Sharpclaw.

"Yes," Nightpaw meowed, eyes flashing with anticipation again.

"You better watch out," I meowed to him. "It's not going to be as easy for you as it was when I was a kit. I've gotten really good."

"I'll still win," he said with a confident purr.

"You wish, mouse-brain!" I exclaimed, bounding ahead so I could be the first to enter the mossy training hollow.

I whipped around to face my brother with an eager snarl. Nightpaw came bounding in after me. He sprung, knocking me over, and the two of us went tumbling across the mossy hollow. I scrabbled my paws at his side, nipping at his tail while he tried shoving my face into the ground.

"That's enough you two!" Cherrytail chided and she and Sharpclaw entered the hollow.

"We're doing real battle training. Stop acting like kits!" Sharpclaw said with a deep meow.

Nightpaw quickly scrambled off of me and shot me a glance like it was all my fault that we got scolded by our mentors. I let out an exasperated huff.

"Show me your upright lock move," Sharpclaw meowed, sitting and wrapping his tail around his paws.

It was a difficult move. Sharpclaw probably gave it to us in a sort of punishment for playing around. I furrowed my brow in concentration. Then I crouched, before rearing back on my hind legs. I balanced like that for a heartbeat before I brought my forepaws slamming down on an imaginary opponent. I heard Nightpaw's paws slam the ground the same way mine did.

"Good," Sharpclaw meowed, narrowing his eyes at us. "Again."

Sharpclaw had us running drills all afternoon until my paws ached. We did the upright lock more times than I bothered to count with Sharpclaw telling us to be faster, or harder each time. Then we moved to different slashes and different dodging techniques. Then the deputy had us string moves together in increasing complicated combinations that left me panting.

"Good," Sharpclaw meowed finally, after Nightpaw and I finished demonstrating a difficult spring, upright lock, dodge, slash combo.

"Now we can head back to camp, as soon as you two demonstrate that you remember what we've taught you today. Against a real opponent," Sharpclaw said.

Cherrytail nodded at me and Nightpaw.

"You will fight each other. We will announce that the practice is over when we are satisfied," Cherrytail meowed.

I turned to face Nightpaw. He looked just are tired as I felt, but he squared his shoulders in determination.

"Got it?" Sharpclaw meowed.

Nightpaw and I both gave a nod.

"You may begin," Sharpclaw said.

Neither of us attacked at first. Instead, we just slowly circled each other. I narrowed my eyes at my brother, watching each of his movements carefully. His muscles rippled under his short black pelt. He was stronger than me. I would have to rely on my speed in order to win.

I flashed forward with downward strike from my forepaw. Nightpaw pulled backward, but my paw still batted off the top of his muzzle. Now, he sprung forward, forepaw flashing in a blow. I ducked it, pivoting around him. I sprung into the air, twisting and landing on his shoulders. I bit down on his scruff. Nightpaw shook his pelt, trying to knock me off, but I dug my paws into his fur. He dropped to his knees, and I realized what was happening just time to leap off, before he rolled and I would have been crushed under him. Nightpaw got back on his feet with lightning speed, turning to rear up in the beginning of the upright lock.

Quickly, I rose onto my hind legs to face him. I sent another swipe across his face, but he grabbed my shoulders with his white paws and sent us tumbling over with a snarl. Nightpaw pinned me to the ground, green eyes shining with triumph. I wiggled under him, but he kept my back solidly against the ground. My thoughts whirled frantically, as I helplessly batted his forelegs with my paws. I let him catch me. That was one thing that the smaller cat can't afford to do in a fight against a larger and stronger opponent.

 _He won._

 _No!_ I thought angrily back at myself.

That's when I noticed his belly was exposed, right above my hind legs. I pulled my hind legs up against me, gathering all of my power into then like I would before taking the huge jump onto Skyrock.

Then I slammed my hind paws against Nightpaw's belly with all the force I could muster.

"Oomph!" Nightpaw gasped, as the air was forced from his mouth.

A bit of my shoulder fur was torn out as my kick sent Nightpaw tumbling off of me and stumbling back a few tail lengths. I scrambled to my paws, ready to face him again.

"We've seen enough," Cherrytail meowed.

I relaxed, flattening my bristling fur. Nightpaw was still gasping for breath.

"Now you can see the danger of the upright lock; it leaves your belly exposed," Sharpclaw meowed. "This means your opponent can use a belly rake against you, which is quite a debilitating move."

Nightpaw bowed his head. Sharpclaw turned to me.

"You shouldn't have allowed yourself to be caught by Nightpaw," Sharpclaw meowed.

I dipped my head in acknowledgment as he paused.

"…But, I've never seen a kick done like that before," he said.

"I figured that I had to get him off somehow. I bet if it was a real battle, and I had my claws out, I could do a lot of damage," I meowed, eyes lighting up.

"A smaller cat would have gone flying from a kick like that," Cherrytail meowed.

I fluffed up happily at her words. Nightpaw looked less amused.

"Next training season you two will learn how SkyClan cats use our skills of climbing and jumping to attack from the trees," Sharpclaw meowed.

He gave me an approving nod.

"Lightningpaw is already learning how to use her powerful hind legs."

Nightpaw brushed by me to follow Sharpclaw out of the clearing.

"Come on, Lightningpaw," Cherrytail meowed from the edge of the mossy hollow.

I got to my paws with a final look at Nightpaw's retreating back, and I followed Cherrytail back to camp.


	10. Chapter 9: Night Hunt

The moon was shining brightly into the den, and it's silverly rays fell right across my closed eyes. I blinked them open, squinting into the clear moonlight, and I yawned. I raised my head, looking at the pelts of my sleeping friends around me.

The second moon of my apprenticeship seemed to be filled with never ending chores and moss duty, which meant that I had spent all day hauling bedding with Nightpaw and cleaning old moss out the elder's den and the nursery. At least we got some stories about the rat battles from Tangle and Lichenfur out of it. But, the event still left my whole body sore from climbing up and down the cliffs and ripping moss off of the trunks of trees and bringing it back to the gorge.

Despite my aching muscles, my mind was buzzing and I could feel the night calling to me, making me restless in my nest.

I got to my paws, careful not to disturb Nightpaw in his nest beside me. I gave my pelt a quick shake then crept out of the den.

The gorge was lit up with moon light, turning the red rocks silver. I padded out into the center of camp, fluffing my fur out. The night was cold. I gave a shiver, then I shook my coat, trying to warm up. I bounced up and down on my paws to get my blood flowing, then I walked down to the stream to lap at some water. It was ice cold, stinging my tongue, but the burn felt pleasant.

I sat up, swiping my tongue over my lips and looking out across the stream. I could see the path that led to the whispering cave. Apprentices weren't allowed there without supervision because the slippery path was so treacherous. And, only the medicine cats were allowed to enter the cave alone. I gazed at the path intensely.

 _Are StarClan's whisperings really so secretive that a normal warrior cannot handle what they say?_

I shook my head, putting the thought out of my mind. StarClan guided and protected us. I was not one to question their ways. I cast a final glance at the path before getting back to my paws.

My belly rumbled, but I could not take even a mouse from the pile. Not before fresh food was caught for the elders and queens. I sighed in disappointment, but then my gaze was drawn down the gorge and to the trees in the distance.

 _I could hunt. If I caught new prey to put on the pile, then I could eat something that's still there from yesterday._

My stomach clenched in excitement.

 _But, apprentices aren't allowed to go night hunting alone._

Dismay crashed over me. Now the thought of just running through the woods with the stars above me seemed more appealing than even grabbing a snack. My legs itched to move, to run, to hunt.

My legs brought me to the edge of camp, seemingly without the consent of my mind. The musky scent of the woods rushed over me and I opened my mouth, breathing it in eagerly. Now my mind was made up. I crouched down, preparing to slip out between a large rock.

"Where are you going?"

A gravelly voice from the shadows stopped me in my tracks.

I turned to see a familiar dark pelt detach itself from the shadows of the cliff and pad over to me. It was Wolfshade. He caught me red-pawed. I swallowed.

"I was going for a hunt," I confessed.

"Apprentices aren't allowed outside of camp at night without their mentors," he meowed.

The shadows covered his face, disguising his features and making his expression unreadable.

 _Not that Wolfshade's face ever reveals much of his thoughts._

"I know," I meowed in reply.

Our gazes met. His eyes glowed silver, reflecting the moonlight. Silence stretched between us as we just gazed at each other.

"I won't tell," he meowed finally.

I sighed, the tension draining from my shoulders.

"Thanks, Wolfshade," I meowed.

I started to pad around the boulder.

"You know. I could come with you, if you want. You might get in less trouble that way if you're caught," Wolfshade meowed from behind me.

I stopped, turning to stare at the dark tom uncertainly, trying to read his motives.

"You don't have to," I meowed. "I don't want to drag you into trouble with me."

"I don't feel comfortable letting an apprentice go out night hunting alone," he meowed stiffly.

My pelt bristled slightly.

"I can take care of myself," I meowed back.

"I'm sure that's what every young apprentice thinks that goes night hunting alone and ends up eaten by a fox," Wolfshade meowed.

His face was serious, but I could hear an edge of amusement to his words.

I huffed, tail tip twitching. Wolfshade padded over to me. He angled his ears towards the woods.

"Shall we?" he meowed.

I brushed passed him and bounded through the sandy gorge and out into the dark trees.

I could barely hear Wolfshade behind me, but every time I turned my head to look, there he was, right at my tail like a large, dark shadow. His huge, fluffy paws made no noise as they hit the frozen ground. White steam puffed from his open mouth as he breathed, and I noticed my breath was foggy too. The steam from our mouths rose above us and mingled together as it drifted towards the stars.

We padded silently through the forest, until the scent of mouse drifted into my mouth, and I stopped. Following the scent, I slunk through the bushes. A twitching leaf at the base of a tree caught my gaze.

I turned to look at Wolfshade. He was right by my side, our pelts almost brushed. We were so close that I could smell his scent; it was like cool pine and mint. Wolfshade cast me a sidewise glance with his grayish green eyes. I twitched my ears at him. Without having to speak, he nodded in understanding and slunk off. I waited for a few heartbeats as Wolfshade got into position, then I stalked towards the twitching leaf. I sprung at the leaf. A mouse shot out from it, dashing away from me, only to run into Wolfshade's claws.

"Nice," I meowed with a nod to him.

Wolfshade nodded in response and scraped dirt over the mouse before padding to my side, and we headed off again. I found myself enjoying Wolfshade's silent presence. There was something nice about being with a cat that didn't feel the need to feel the space between us with speech; to be comfortable to just coexist. It was a rare occurrence to find someone you can live in silence with.

I shot a glance at Wolfshade. He was staring intently ahead. But, then his ear twitched, like he felt my gaze on him, and his eyes flickered to mine. Our eyes met, and our gazes held. I found my breathing picking up slightly, and my pelt prickled with some strange emotion that his eyes elicited in me.

They were beautiful. Twin, shimmering, green pools.

And, I was drowning in them.

I broke our gazes away and took a deep breath of the cool night air to clear my head. But, I couldn't still my quickly beating heart in my chest. I caught the scent of nightingale. I followed the scent, being careful not to glance over at Wolfshade again. As we padded through the forest, the nightingale started to sing. My ears pricked, and I began to follow the song. But, Wolfshade stopped walking. My brow furrowed and I turned to look back at him.

He stood still, dappled in moonlight that turned patches of his fur silver. His ears were pricked, and his eyes were unfocused, staring out into the forest. Then he closed his eyes with a quiet sigh, standing and listening to the bird's song. I tilted my head, studying the tom with mild confusion.

 _What's going on in this cat's head?_

I waited for him, sitting and wrapping my tail around my paws. As I sat there, I found myself unconsciously being drawn into the song of the nightingale. I listened to it cheep and warble, it's song rising and falling in its one-bird symphony. It trilled and chirped, calling out into the darkness around it. My breath caught in my throat as the song climbed sharply, before it fell back down into a series of softer chirping. Then that too died out as the nightingale finished its song.

At its completion, a sudden surge of sadness washed over me as I realized it was the only bird in the whole forest that I had heard singing. My brow furrowed as I frowned. I crouched lower, curling my tail more tightly around myself. I suddenly felt very lonely.

Wolfshade's eyes opened, and they met mine. He let out a soft purr which made my ears prick in surprise. I purred hesitantly back in reply.

"Are you okay?" he meowed, padding over to me.

"Yeah. I…" I began, but then stopped.

How could I explain that a bird made me feel sad? He would think that I was mouse-brained. Or, that I had cotton in my head at least.

But, Wolfshade just looked at me with understanding eyes. He bent his head to briefly press his muzzle into my shoulder.

"I've got this one," he meowed.

Wolfshade padded into the woods. I waited where I had sat. I tilted my head back to study the stars that shone down between the branches of the trees. Wolfshade came pushing back through the undergrowth, the bird in his mouth.

"We can go back to camp now," I mewed, still staring up at the stars.

"Alright," Wolfshade meowed.

But, he took a seat next to me, and we stayed like that for a while— silently staring up at the stars.


	11. Chapter 10: Rogues on the Border

I waited impatiently down in the center of camp for Cherrytail to appear. We were going on the sun high patrol today, and I was eager to get out of camp and stretch my legs after spending the morning helping Fallowfern clean the nursery. I didn't even get tired on patrols anymore. My legs had grown both longer and stronger as the sunrises passed and my training continued.

I saw Cherrytail's tortoiseshell pelt appear from the mouth of the warrior's den. She bounded down the cliff and padded over to me.

"Ready?" she asked.

"I've been waiting all day!" I purred in reply.

"You two on sun-high patrol?" Waspwhisker asked, padding over to us.

"Yeah," Cherrytail replied.

"Good." Waspwhisker nodded. "Sharpclaw asked me to lead it."

"Now we just need…" Waspwhisker meowed, looking around. "Ah, there's one of them."

I glanced up to see Wolfshade padding across camp. Waspwhisker waved his tail at him, and he came bounding over to us.

"Sorry I'm a bit late," Wolfshade mewed.

"No you aren't. You're just on time," Waspwhisker replied.

Waspwhisker was quite a considerate cat, most of the time, I noticed.

 _But, I wonder if he's gotten over his feud with Ebonyclaw yet._

Wolfshade glanced over at me.

"Hey," he meowed, with a nod.

"Hey," I purred in reply.

A small flash of warmth flickered through me as I remembered our secret night hunt. The day afterwards, I had been a bit sluggish during my training with Cherrytail, but she never suspected a thing. And, as far as I could tell, no other cat knew anything either. He didn't tell anyone a word about it, just like he promised.

"I'm here too!"

Minttail came bounding over to us, tail sticking up excitedly. She briefly touched her muzzle to Wolfshade's in greeting. Wolfshade blinked kindly at her.

"Alright that's everyone, let's go," Waspwhisker meowed, getting to his paws and leading us out of camp.

We padded through the woods, heading towards our borders. I walked towards the back of the patrol with Wolfshade, enjoying his silent company. Until, Minttail dropped back to walk on Wolfshade's other side.

"Did you know Fallowfern's kits will be apprentices soon?" Minttail meowed excitedly.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that," Wolfshade meowed.

"I hope Leafstar makes one of them my apprentice," Minttail said with a little hop. "I would make a great mentor."

I resisted the urge to snort at that comment.

 _I think I would have gone crazy if Minttail was my mentor, and she spent the whole time babying me._

"What can you scent, Lightningpaw?" Minttail asked me, as if on cue.

She shot a look at Wolfshade, like she was trying to prove how good of a mentor she would be to him.

For a heartbeat, I thought about refusing her, she wasn't my mentor after all. But, I decided it wouldn't be worth the argument that it caused.

I took a deep breath, and the scents of unfamiliar cats washed over me, prickling my pelt.

"There's strange cat scent here!" I meowed the warning loud enough for the whole patrol to hear.

"No, there's not," Minttail meowed, looking annoyed.

Cherrytail frowned, opening her jaws to taste the air.

"She's right," my mentor confirmed with a furrowed brow.

"Well done picking that up, Lightningpaw," Cherrytail meowed to me.

"She's got a good nose," Wolfshade added, glancing over at me.

Minttail's pelt prickled with embarrassment. She sniffed, looking out towards the forest.

My fur fluffed happily at their praise. I glanced at Wolfshade, but he had focused his gaze straight ahead, mouth opened slightly as he breathed in the scents.

"I bet they're the rogues that Sparrowpelt mentioned at the gathering a moon or two ago," Waspwhisker growled. "We'll chase them out if we see them trespassing."

"That's all well and good if they're aggressive, but, remember, Leafstar says that SkyClan cannot live in isolation, and that we have to be open to visitors," Cherrytail pointed out.

"These are prey stealing rogues on our territory! Not harmless loners who are curious to learn about the Clans!" Waspwhisker meowed over his shoulder as we continued forward on the patrol.

"Maybe they don't know its our territory," I piped up. "Maybe if we told them and told them about our Clan, then they'd want to join."

"No way," Minttail snorted. "Waspwhisker's right, they're just flea-bitten, no-good thieving rogues. Don't be ridiculous. They'd never change."

My ears flattened at her harsh rebuttal.

 _She's probably just still embarrassed that she didn't pick up the scent first._

But, still I lowered my head and slowed my pace to fall back a bit.

"And, how many of our Clan were "no-good thieving rogues" before SkyClan was formed, Minttail?" Wolfshade meowed, coming to my defense.

I shot him a grateful look.

"I certainly was," Waspwhisker meowed with amusement in his voice.

"So was Sharpclaw," Cherrytail purred. "When Sparrowpelt and I were kits, we were terrified of the rogues that lived around here in the gorge! We thought they were vicious."

"Clan-life changes us," Waspwhisker murmured, half to himself.

"It's decided then," he meowed, raising his voice again. "We'll try to talk to the rogues then, if we can."

We padded through the trees, following the rogues' scents. It grew steadily stronger as we got closer to the Southern border. A flash of white fur through the bushes caught my eye.

"There they are!" Wolfshade meowed.

We bounded forward, pushing through the undergrowth. A dark red tabby and a black and white cat were streaking ahead of us. A squirrel was clutched in the black and white cat's jaws. Waspwhisker raised his tail, halting our patrol.

"Wait! We just want to talk with you!" Waspwhisker called.

The cats kept running, but the fluffy dark ginger slowed, turning to look at us over her shoulder. When she saw we were no longer pursing her, she slowly came to a stop.

"Whisper, what on Earth are you doing!" The black and white tom hissed around the squirrel in his mouth.

Whisper, the ginger she-cat, did not reply. She just turned to us, raising her chin confidently.

"Um. Hello," Waspwhisker began hesitantly.

The black and white tom grudgingly crept back to his ginger companion with the squirrel still held tightly in his mouth.

"My name is Cherrytail," Cherrytail, meowed, stepping forward to take the lead. "And, me and my friends here," Cherrytail gestured with her tail to indicate our patrol, "belong to a clan known as SkyClan. You two are hunting on our lands."

The rogues started to look nervous again.

"But, it's okay," Cherrytail continued quickly, not wanting them to run off again. "SkyClan welcomes visitors. We welcome any new cats who have good hearts, and even let them join our ranks, if they wish."

"No thank you," the black-and-white tom growled, dropping his squirrel at his feet. "We know what large groups of cats are like. I don't care what "clan" or nonsense you call yourselves. We want nothing to do with it."

"Aren't you the same cats that have been chasing out of this forest?" Whisper rasped.

Her voice startled me. She was a dainty ginger cat, but her voice was harsh and grating, like wind hissing over harsh, sharp stone. Some of her words were so soft or mangled that it was difficult to make them out.

"Yes," Cherrytail admitted. "We live by a code that says we must protect and defend our territory. The prey here belong to us, we can't have cats stealing it, but we won't hurt you unless you try to hurt us. And, we aren't above sharing our prey either, as long as we have enough to feed our queens and kits and elders, and ourselves. That's all a part of the Warrior Code. You could come back to our camp, and we could talk about it some more over a mouse, if you'd like."

"No," the black-and-white tom growled.

"We'll think about it," Whisper said.

The black-and-white tom shot her an angry look before lowering his head to snatch the squirrel back up. He and Whisper whirled around, and disappeared into the woods.

"Well, that went well," Minttail meowed scathingly.

"It went about as well as could have been expected," Waspwhisker pointed out. "We have been chasing them around for a couple of moons now."

"Yeah, you'd think they would have gotten the message that they're not welcome by now," Minttail muttered.

"The ginger, what's her name, Whisper, seemed a bit receptive at least," Cherrytail meowed. "The black-and-white tom, though… less so."

"We'll see if they come around," Waspwhisker meowed. "Let's remark the borders here, then continue around."

With a final glance to where the rogues disappeared into the bushes, I followed our patrol back into the trees.


	12. Chapter 11: Insomnia

"I'm telling you, Cherrytail was not that nice when I was her apprentice," Wolfshade said with a soft purr as we padded into camp, his grey-green eyes sparkling.

"You better keep your voice down, or she'll hear you!" I warned, before shooting Wolfshade a glance from narrowed eyes.

"And, Cherrytail is great. Are you sure that she wasn't a mean mentor, but instead you were just a difficult apprentice?" I meowed teasingly.

"What are you implying?" Wolfshade asked, in a deep, mock-serious tone.

I just purred instead of replying, while he looked offended. We brushed through the ferns at the edge of the gorge, our patrol of Cherrytail, Tinycloud, and Ebonyclaw ahead of us. With a mischievous expression, Wolfshade opened his mouth to say something.

"Wolfshade!" Minttail interrupted, calling from across the clearing, and beckoning with her tail for him to come over.

Wolfshade kept his gaze trained on me, but flicked his ears to let her know he heard her, and, to my disappointment, his mouth shut.

"See you later, Lightningpaw," He purred to me, green eyes warm.

"See you," I purred back, and watched him turn and bound away.

He reached her and the two touched noses in a friendly manner before Minttail began excitedly meowing something to him.

My paws suddenly felt heavy and tired from the long trek around our borders. I gave my pelt a shake, and the cold leaf-bare air stung at my shoulders and my nose.

There had been no scent of the ginger cat, Whisper, or the black-and-white cat when we went past the Southern border. I was hoping to bump into them again, and that they would be interested in coming back to camp with us this time. Their lack of scent was a bit worrying. Prey was scarce now that leaf-bare was here in full force.

 _I hope they're doing okay. And, not starving._

I shivered, wondering how in StarClan's name cats are able to survive out there all alone. I turned aside and headed over to the fresh-kill pile.

 _My mother, Leafstar, did it._

I imagined her stalking through the forest alone, returning to her den where she laid down with no other pelts around her.

 _It seems so sad. I don't know what I would do without my friends._

I picked up a small mouse from the pile and when I lifted my head I heard someone meow my name.

Briarpaw angled her ears at me, her delicate white paws resting on a half eaten startling. With a purr, I walked over to my friend and took a seat beside her to eat my mouse. I let my thoughts and worries about the rouges and life without and Clan and friends slip away as I mindlessly munched on my mouse.

"You and Wolfshade look close," she commented as I swallowed my first bite.

"Wolfshade?" I mewed in surprise, snapping back to attention.

I realized that I had been unintentionally staring at the dark tom from across the camp.

I quickly looked away from him and to Briarpaw.

"Yeah, he's my friend," I said, licking my soft brown chest to cover the gazing.

"Sure..." Briarpaw purred, not missing a heartbeat of my embarrassment, her yellow eyes gleaming.

My brow furrowed.

"He is my friend. I don't know what you mean by 'sure,'" I meowed, twitching my ears in annoyance at her teasing.

What she was implying was totally ridiculous.

"It's okay that you like him, you know," Briarpaw meowed.

My face flushed with heat. I quickly shook my head, denying it.

 _We are just friends._

"He's a warrior," I meowed pointedly.

"So? You won't be an apprentice forever," Briarpaw meowed.

I frowned.

 _Minttail_ was Wolfshade's mate. I could see them sharing tongues from here as clearly as any other cat in the camp. Or, if Minttail and Wolfshade weren't officially mates yet, then everyone could tell they would be.

 _Ugh Minttail._

I felt a tightness in my chest at the thought of her and Wolfshade together. I gave my head a shake to clear it. I didn't want to talk about Briarpaw's half-brother anymore.

"How's your training going? It can't be much longer before you and your litter-mates are made warriors," I asked, deliberately changing the subject.

Briarpaw's eyes flashed. She knew exactly what I was doing.

"We take our final test in a few sunrises! So we'll be warriors not long after that," Briarpaw purred, happily going along with my abrupt change in topic, but sending me another glance to let me know that this conversation wasn't over.

I ignored her look.

"Really! That's great news!" I replied with a purr.

My fur bristled with excitement for my friend.

I couldn't wait to be a warrior. After Briarpaw and her siblings' ceremony, mine was next. I allowed myself for a moment to imagine that I was made a warrior early. At the start of my apprenticeship, Cherrytail said that she's never seen a cat pick up hunting as naturally as I do. Then, as a warrior, Nightpaw and I wouldn't have to clean out the elders' den, I would be able to go hunting alone without getting in trouble, and I would be able to sleep in the warriors' den…

An image flashed in my mind of me curled up with my back pressed against Wolfshade's.

I blinked hard, thoughts wheeling as pushed that image out of my mind.

I glanced up to see Wolfshade purring loudly with Minttail. She leaned forward to playfully flick his one torn ear with her tail.

"I'm so excited to be a warrior!" Briarpaw meowed.

"Yeah, me too," I replied, trying to muster back up my excitement.

But my stomach felt heavy, like I had swallowed a rock. Slowly, I lowered my head and took another bite of the mouse.

xxx

Sure enough, just like Briarpaw said, in a quarter moon after my conversation with her, I found myself down in the center of the camp with all of my clan mates.

"Creampaw! Seedpaw!"

I raised my voice along with the rest of the clan as we chanted the names of the newest apprentices. They shyly stood with their mentors Bouncefire and Patchpelt. Bouncefire looked about as excited at having an apprentice as Creampaw looked at being an apprentice. I turned my head to look for Minttail, wondering if she was disappointed at not being given an apprentice. But, she seemed pleased enough, her pale green eyes were bright and she gazed around happily.

"We have one more ceremony to preform," Leafstar meowed from Rockpile, drawing my gaze back to her.

Leafstar looked down, her eyes gleaming.

The Clan began to quiet back down as Briarpaw, Lionpaw, and Ravenpaw walked into the center of the group of cats. My heart pounded in excitement for my friends.

Leafstar pointed her gaze upwards towards the sky.

"I, Leafstar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warriors in their turn."

Leafstar looked back down at the three siblings.

"Briarpaw, Lionpaw, Ravenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your lives?" She asked.

"I do!"

Their voices rang out together in chorus. Lionpaw's eyes blazed. Ravenpaw's fur bristled. And, Briarpaw's tail stuck straight up.

Leafstar bounded nimbly down Rockpile.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names," Leafstar meowed.

"Briarpaw, from this moment you will be known as Briarspot. StarClan honors your bravery and your cleverness."

Leafstar turned to Lionpaw.

"Lionpaw, from this moment you will be known as Lionclaw. StarClan honors your strength and your loyalty."

Finally Leafstar turned to Ravenpaw.

"Ravenpaw, from this moment you will be known as Ravenfur. StarClan honors your dedication and your compassion."

Leafstar turned to gaze at all three of them.

"And, we welcome you as a full warriors of SkyClan!"

Leafstar rested her nose on each of their foreheads, and they licked Leafstar's shoulder before stepping back.

"Briarspot! Lionclaw! Ravenfur!" the whole clan shouted.

I leapt to my paws, loudly chanting their new names along with everyone else. The three cats stood proudly in the center of the camp, heads and tails raised. The chanting dissolved as the clan divulged on the cats, purring and congratulating the young warriors.

I slipped my way through the crowd to Briarspot. She was purring excitedly with her father, Patchfoot, when I trotted up.

"Congratulations!" I purred, giving her shoulder a nudge with my muzzle.

"Thank you!" Briarspot exclaimed, eyes shining.

"Won't be much longer for you now!" she purred in reply.

I purred back in reply and then waved my tail in farewell, moving out of the way for other cats and so I could head towards her siblings.

"Congratulations! Congratulations!" I meowed to Lionclaw and Ravenfur.

Lionclaw purred a thanks, affectionately head-butting my shoulder with his large, golden head, and Ravenfur blinked her huge deep blue eyes at me, every whisker quivering with happiness.

"Have fun staying up all night. I'm going to have so much room in the den to myself," I teased as I backed away, making room for other cats.

Ravenfur and Lionclaw purred in reply, their eyes shining with a clever retort that they had to bite back as the other cats approached them, cutting me from their line of sight.

Purring to myself, I padded away from the crowd. The sun was starting to set and the siblings would take their place on Skyrock as soon as the rest of the cats head off to bed. I turned to look at them. They stood among the crowd looking so proud and excited and confident. Even if they didn't have to hold a vigil, there was no way the three of them would have been sleeping this night.

Another flash of fur caught my eye as I spotted the dark pelt of Wolfshade through the sea of cats. He twined around his younger half-siblings, looking like any proud older brother would. There was a strange pang in my in my chest as I looked at him. I haven't talked to him in a while, and I missed his company. The most interaction we'd had was a greeting as we brushed by each other in camp. I wondered if he was mad with me or avoiding me for some reason.

 _Had Briarspot talked to him?_ I thought, pelt suddenly flashing with heat.

Then I shook my head. She wouldn't do that to me. Wolfshade was a warrior; he's busy. He's not avoiding me.

Reassured, I stretched, deciding to have a quick mouse, then head up to the den and call it a day.

I climbed up to the apprentice den and settled into my nest, closing my eyes, but sleep did not come easily for me.

I spent all night tossing and turning in my nest like I was the one that needs to be up keeping vigil. I just couldn't get used to the quietness of the den. Creampaw and Seedpaw were here, but they were curled up, very closely to each other in the back of the den. And, Nightpaw was here, of course. He was snoring quietly about a tail length away. As soon as Lionclaw, Ravenfur, and Briarspot left, he was quick to move his nest farther away from mine. He's becoming a big cat. He's already larger than some warriors, so I tried not to feel too offended by the move. But, still, I missed the warmth and pressure of my brother's fur at my side.

I looked at Creampaw and Seedpaw at the far end of the den. They seemed so small, even though I knew they were six moons old.

 _Was I really that tiny?_

I blinked, thinking back to the start of my apprenticeship. It felt like seasons upon seasons ago, how much everything has changed now. Not only how much I'd learned in training, but how I'd changed. I blinked in realization. I had become older.

I rolled over with a sigh, trying to quiet my thoughts, waiting for the dark, soft pelt of sleep to curl around me and lull me off. But, sleep avoided me like an elusive mouse. Every time I started to doze, I was jolted back awake by the same dream— a vision of rolling storm clouds and the sound of thunder. It wasn't until the sky started to lighten did my eyes finally drifted shut.


	13. Chapter 12: The Assessment

The next day, I was woken up with a heavy paw shaking my shoulder. My eyes flickered open to see Nightpaw's green eyes peering down at me.

"What are you, a dormouse? The sun's almost above the trees, and we have training!" he snapped.

I blinked, shrugging his big white paw off and stumbling to my feet, still deep in the clutches of sleep.

"Great StarClan, I'm up," I grumbled, then gave a huge yawn that shook my whole body.

The tip of Nightpaw's tail twitched slightly.

"You better be down in two heartbeats," he warned, then bounded out of the den.

"Do you think you're my mentor?" I muttered to myself, bending my head to give myself a quick grooming before following him out of the den.

Outside, I was greeted by a blast of freezing rain. The cold droplets splattered on my nose and my back, the icy water trailing its way through my fur. I shivered, carefully picking my way down the slippery path. Cherrytail, Sharpclaw and Nightpaw stood in a miserable huddle at the edge of camp, fruitlessly trying to stay out of the rain in the shade of Rockpile.

I bounded over to them, expecting a scolding from Cherrytail, but to my surprise, she seemed unusually subdued and looked as tired as I was.

Sharpclaw flicked his ears, sending water droplets flying and drawing my attention away from my mentor.

"Good. We're all here. You two have been apprentices for three moons. Which means your training is about halfway complete. Today Cherrytail and I will be assessing your hunting skills," he meowed.

 _In this miserable weather!_ I thought, blinking in dismay.

Nightpaw didn't look particularly excited either.

"The water will make scenting more difficult, so this hunt should be a bit of a challenge, even for experienced apprentices like you," Cherrytail chimes in.

 _Forget about scenting. We won't catch anything because all of the prey will be cuddled up warm and dry in their dens!_

Sharpclaw shook his pelt.

"We'll head downstream, into the thicker part of the forest," he announced.

Sharpclaw bounded off, and the three of us followed, hot on his paws.

The rain pelted me in the face as we raced past the stream, mud splashing on our paws. Hopefully, once we got into the woods, the trees would give some protection from the weather. As we ran, I matched my stride to Cherrytail's.

"Are you alright?" I asked my mentor in a low voice so Sharpclaw and Nightpaw couldn't hear.

She widened her pale green eyes at me in surprise.

"What? Yeah, fine," she meowed.

"Oh," I blinked. "You just seemed tired."

"I am tired," she said. "But, I'm fine. Great even."

"Ok, good," I purred. "I was worried you were getting sick. Who would put up with my lateness then?"

Cherrytail purred back, but didn't reply.

We'd made it to the trees and Sharpclaw lead us deeper into the forest.

"Your assessment will test your group hunting skills," Sharpclaw informed us over his shoulder.

"So, I'll be hunting with Nightpaw?" I asked, trotting up closer behind him.

"No. You will have warrior partners," Sharpclaw meowed to me.

We entered a clearing and by the huge, twisted oak tree there were two cats waiting for us.

Sharpclaw signaled them over with a twitch of the tail, before turning back to us. I tilted my head, but I couldn't identify the cats around Sharpclaw's wide tabby shoulders.

"Remember, it's your assessment, not their's. So, it's your responsibility to make the decisions on the hunt," Sharpclaw said.

"We get to tell the warriors what to do?" Nightpaw meowed, eyes gleaming.

"Don't get used to it," Sharpclaw replied with a gruff purr.

"And remember, Sharpclaw and I will be watching you the whole time," Cherrytail added.

The two other warriors padded over to us and took a seat behind Sharpclaw as he finished explaining the rules.

My heart started to pound faster, and I suddenly felt light on my paws, the remnants of my sleepiness evaporating like fog on a sunny day. I recognized one of the cats as Ebonyclaw and the other as Wolfshade. His long fur was unevenly wet, causing it to stand up in some places in fluffy spikes. He twitched his wet whiskers at me in a silent greeting, grey-green eyes shining.

I stifled a purr in reply as Sharpclaw came to his feet.

"Nightpaw, you hunt with Ebonyclaw. And, Lightningpaw, you hunt with Wolfshade," Sharpclaw meowed.

Despite the rain, my pelt felt warm, and I felt a jolt of irrational happiness that I was hunting with Wolfshade. But, for a split second, I wondered if Nightpaw was upset he got partnered with a daylight warrior. However, my brother calmly walked over to Ebonyclaw and immediately began discussing hunting techniques with her.

 _He'll be fine._

I padded over to Wolfshade and touched my nose to his in greeting. He pressed his warm, dark muzzle onto mine, his deep green eyes peering into my dark amber ones. A purr rumbled in my throat.

"You can begin," Sharpclaw announced, then he and Cherrytail slipped into the trees.

Ebonyclaw and Nightpaw took off immediately, their matching black pelts quickly disappearing into the trees.

Wolfshade turned to me.

"What do you want to do?" He meowed.

I was about to purr 'Whatever you want,' when I remembered this was not some romp in the woods, but an actual test and I had to make the decisions. My fur flushed hot with embarrassment.

I picked an arbitrary direction, hoping Wolfshade didn't notice the heat radiating from my pelt.

"Let's go this way," I said, flicking my ears to the left.

"Alright," he mewed, twitching water off his whiskers and following me into the undergrowth.

We padded quietly through the forest. I kept my nose up and mouth slightly open, tasting the air for any scent of prey. But, all I could smell was water and damp earth. Then, just the faintest scent of warm prey drifted into my mouth. I froze, carefully trying to pinpoint the direction the faint prey scent was coming from.

 _I think it's a little to the left._

"Can you smell that?" I mewed quietly to Wolfshade.

He scented the air, then shook his head, brow furrowed.

"I think it's squirrel," I meowed, stalking over in the direction of the scent.

"This way," I murmured.

We had to walk for a while, but the nutty scent grew steadily stronger, confirming my suspicion that it was a squirrel. After about a minute, I saw Wolfshade's eyes light up as he caught the scent too. I led the way as we crept up to a big pine tree. For a moment, I lost the scent of the squirrel as I became distracted by the sharp, clear scent of pine, penetrating through the damp rain smell. It reminded me of Wolfshade's scent.

 _Focus!_

I blinked hard.

The squirrel scent was drifting down from above. I scanned the branches of the trees. Then I spotted it, a flash of grey fur perched on the end of a branch on a tree next to the big pine. I studied the position of the squirrel and the trees, a plan forming in my mind. I leaned over to Wolfshade, putting my mouth close to his ear, fiercely ignoring how good he smelled.

"You climb the pine to that branch," I murmured, subtly gesturing to the indicated branch with my tail.

I noticed my whiskers brushed his cheek fur, but I pretended like I didn't. He didn't pull away from the touch.

"Hide by the trunk. I'm going to climb the tree with the squirrel and chase it right into your paws."

Wolfshade eyed the trees, analyzing the squirrel's potential escape routes as I had done.

"Are you sure?" he whispered. "I don't think we can get this one, it's just too high."

"It's the middle of leaf-bare. We desperately need all the prey we can get," I replied.

"How do you know it'll run to me?" he asked.

I blinked at him, wondering if he was testing me for the assessment or simply doubting my hunting judgement.

"Do you trust me?" I asked in reply, searching his eyes.

He gazed at me with his unreadable green eyes.

"Yes," he answered.

Without another word, we split up, slinking to our respective trees. Carefully staying on the opposite side of the trunk from the squirrel, I sunk my fore-claws into the slick, wet bark and pushed upwards with my powerful hind legs, climbing up the tree in smooth, silent bounds. As I approached our prey, I slowed, not wanted it to notice me until it was too late. I waited a few moments, making sure Wolfshade had ample time to get in position. Then I slipped around the trunk as smooth as I snake and silently bounded down the branch after the squirrel. The squirrel noticed me almost immediately and fled down the end of the branch, just as I planned, taking a flying leap towards the branch of the pine. The squirrel landed on the branch and bounded towards the trunk, when a dark shadow detached itself from the center of the tree and sprung at the squirrel, capturing it in its claws and killing it with a swift bite to the neck. Panting, I came to a halt at the swaying end of the branch of my tree.

"Great catch!" I mewed excitedly to Wolfshade.

Wolfshade looked up at me, green eyes shining, but unable to respond with his mouth full of squirrel. We climbed our trees and met in the middle between them. Wolfshade dropped the squirrel. Even with its wet fur slicked to its body, the squirrel looked healthy and huge; it's tail dragged on the ground when Wolfshade carried it in his mouth.

"That was brilliant!" Wolfshade exclaimed.

"You were brilliant," I purred. "I only chased it."

"No it was you. You could have caught it if you wanted," he argued. "You scented it from so far away. You planned it out. You knew where it was going to run. You just had me sit there and kill it."

I felt my fur flush at the praise. I scuffled my paws on the ground.

"Let's bury it and keep hunting," I mumbled, changing the subject.

Wolfshade simply purred, gazing at me for a moment longer, but he obediently picked up the squirrel and took it to a bush to scrape some dirt over it. My gaze flicked over him. With his normally fluffy fur wet and pressed against his skin, I could see his sleek muscles flex and move smoothly as he dug. I blinked and looked away from him.

While Wolfshade was burying the squirrel, I scented the air in an effort to both find more prey and to distract myself from him.

The scent of mouse drifted into my mouth. Wolfshade trotted over to me, paws muddy.

"There's a mouse nearby," I whispered to Wolfshade.

We stalked towards the scent. I was able to pinpoint it to a small pile of fallen leaves at the foot of a fallen tree. I noticed one leaf almost imperceptibly twitch.

I flicked my tail to Wolfshade to let him know this catch is mine. I slipped into the hunter's crouch and on silent paws I glided up to the pile and sprung.

My paws smacked down on the twitching leaf and I felt a mouse under the leaf die as I snapped its neck with my claws. Another mouse shot out of the pile. I leapt after it without pausing. I caught and swiftly killed the second mouse. I lifted my head, the mouse dangling from my jaws. I scowled irritably. I should have noticed two mouse scents. I walked back to the leaf pile and uncovered the first mouse, picking that one up as well.

"Two for one, well done," Wolfshade said, padding over to me.

I twitched my ears.

"I should have picked up the second mouse scent," I complained.

"It's wet out, and they were under a big, smelly, damp pile of leaves," Wolfshade shrugged. "I could only smell one too."

"And you caught them both, which is what really matters," a voice came from behind me.

Cherrytail walked out of the shadows.

"I've seen enough. You've done very well, Lightningpaw," Cherrytail meowed.

Happiness warmed my pelt.

"Thank you," I purred, dipping my head.

"Wolfshade, take the mice, fetch the squirrel and then head back to camp. Lightningpaw, stay here please, there is something I have to tell you," Cherrytail meowed softly.

My paws prickled, my chest tightening uncomfortably at the strange tone of her voice. Wolfshade cast me a confused glance, but he dipped his head to the senior warrior and with a whispered farewell, took the mice and headed off. I turned to Cherrytail.

"Did I do something wrong? Did I mess up on the assessment?" I asked.

Cherrytail blinked at me.

"No. No. You've done nothing wrong. You've passed the assessment beautifully," she said, amusement in her meow. "This is about me…"

Cherrytail took a deep breath.

"I'm expecting kits," she announced.

Cherrytail gazed at me earnestly, waiting for my response. After a moment of shock, a purr burst from my chest and I leapt to my feet, bounding over to my mentor to press my nose into her shoulder.

"Cherrytail! That's wonderful news!" I purred.

Cherrytail blinked happily at me, a purr rumbling in her own chest.

"Is Sharpclaw the father?" I asked, knowing how much time the two of them spent together.

"Yes," she purred, eyes shining with love and pride.

"I'm so happy for both of you. You'll make great parents," I said, meaning every word.

"I'm in the early stages of my pregnancy now, but eventually I will have to move into the nursery..." Cherrytail's voice trailed off.

The warm happiness in my chest dimmed somewhat as I realized the meaning behind her words.

"And someone else will have to keep training me," I mewed softly.

"Yes," Cherrytail blinked.

I could see the disappointment and anguish in her light green eyes. She thought she failed me.

I pressed my muzzle to her shoulder again, this time to comfort her.

"I couldn't have asked for a better mentor," I murmured.

Cherrytail purred and gave me a brisk lick on the head.

"Nor, I, an apprentice," she meowed.

Then, she hauled herself to her feet. The rain, I noticed, was just starting to slow down.

"Let's get back to camp," she purred. "And, after the queens and elders are fed, maybe you and I can share one of those mice you caught."


	14. Chapter 13: A Bitterly Cold Day

Snow softly drifted down as I padded through the forest with Nightpaw. The bare trees around us were coated in a thin layer of ice that twinkled in the leaf-bare sun. My brother's paws crunched lightly as we padded on top of the snow through the trees. I trotted happily along behind him. I was enjoying the hunting patrol with Nightpaw. I didn't do as much training with him anymore.

"Hey, I never asked you how your hunting assessment went," I meowed to him.

"Good," Nightpaw replied.

"Well that's good," I said, bounding ahead to sniff a strange looking leaf.

It was completely coated in ice, making it look spiky.

"Want to elaborate on that at all?" I meowed, looking back at Nightpaw.

Nightpaw shrugged.

"No," he meowed.

I rolled my eyes.

"Wolfshade and I caught a squirrel _in_ a tree," I boasted.

I twitched my nose as a cold snowflake landed on it.

"Ebonyclaw's collar jingled and frightened away a shrew, but I caught a rabbit later on the hunt," Nightpaw meowed.

"Oh, I'm sorry you lost the shrew," I said, pawing the snow off my stinging nose and glancing over at him.

Nightpaw shrugged again.

"Sharpclaw saw it was her fault, so I wasn't penalized for it. But, I mean it's to be expected. She's just a kittypet-warrior after all," he meowed.

"Hey! Don't call her that," I protested, bounding in front of him, and cutting him off, so he was forced to stop and look at me.

I turned my head to see if our mentors heard what Nightpaw just said, but they were far ahead of us. I saw a flash of Sharpclaw's dark ginger pelt through the trees.

"We are half daylight warrior," I reminded Nightpaw.

Nightpaw frowned.

"But, Brackenstorm made the right choice. No one can fault him for where he was born because he can't help that. But, he chose us. He chose SkyClan. That's what's important. But, these daylight warriors with a paw in two worlds are weak because they haven't made a choice. They're not committed to anything. They don't have enough loyalty to SkyClan," Nightpaw meowed.

My brow furrowed, and I opened my mouth to protest.

"Think of it like this," Nightpaw meowed before I could say anything. "What if someone asked you to kill a snake while battling a badger?"

"That would be almost impossible," I meowed.

"Exactly. You'd be distracted by the badger and end up being bitten by the snake. Or, while you're dodging the snake's strike you would be crushed by the badger," Nightpaw meowed, moving around me to continue forward.

"That's what a daylight warrior is doing. When they're with us, they're distracted by the thought of their two-legs. Or, they aren't even with us because they're at their dens with their two-legs! And, I'm certain that when they're with the two-legs they are thinking of us. So they need to choose. Pick to fight the snake. Or, pick to fight the badger. And, if they don't choose, then they'll end up exhausted and weak. And, our Clan will be weaker because of it," Nightpaw meowed over his shoulder.

I padded after him, silently, thoughts whirling. I could see his point, but to me, the day-light warriors seemed to manage just fine. They hunted and patrolled just as much as any other warrior in SkyClan.

My brow furrowed.

 _How could Nightpaw be so dismissive of them? It's like he doesn't care where we're from. That Brackenstorm was a daylight warrior. Or, that every member of our Clan was once a kittypet or a loner or a rouge!_

But, I knew arguing with Nightpaw was useless. He was too stubborn. Even if I managed to change his mind, he wouldn't admit it to me.

I scented the air, deciding to just concentrate on catching prey for now, and to stop worrying about Nightpaw. But, the snow muted all of the scents. Suddenly, I noticed the wind was howling around me, whipping snow from the air and the ground. While we had been talking the snow had picked up, and it was snowing a lot harder now. I shivered as the gusts cut through my pelt, watching the snow danced all around.

"Can you scent anything?" I meowed to Nightpaw.

Nightpaw shook his head, then shook his pelt, shaking off clumps of snow off his fur.

"I don't even know where Sharpclaw and Cherrytail went," Nightpaw meowed.

I squinted ahead. I could barely see more than a few fox-lengths ahead of us. Their was no sign of our mentors' pelts. I breathed in the cold air and felt a small jolt of fear when I smelt only ice, no hint of their scent anywhere. I took a deep breath, calming myself.

"We don't need them to hunt and to get back to camp," I meowed. "Let's just try to get some prey and get out of here."

Nightpaw nodded, squinting into the wind. We padded on, stopping every few minutes in order to scent the air.

"We're getting no where with this," I meowed to Nightpaw, having to raise my voice to speak over the wind.

I gestured with my tail towards a tree.

"I'm going to dig at the roots. Maybe we can stir up a mouse sheltering there," I meowed.

Nightpaw nodded. I headed to one large oak and Nightpaw went to another. I dug my paws into the wet snow, throwing it up behind me. I scraped through a layer of ice, pads stinging and snow clumping in my leg fur. I broke through the snow and my paws met wet leaves. I stuck my head in the hole, breathing in the refreshing earthy scents. The musky smell was an oasis in a desert of ice. I burrowed down, under the snow and wiggled by the roots of the tree. The howling wind was instantly muted as soon as I went under the snow. I crawled around, the snow above me like a cave. I sighed, taking a heartbeat to enjoy the peacefulness. Then I scented the air again, searching for prey scent. I wiggled around, and found mouse droppings hidden under some leaves, but they were several sunrises old and there was no sight or scent of prey.

I pushed upwards with my shoulders, breaking up through the snow. My head burst through the top of the snow, and the wind immediately started howling in my ears again. I shook my head, sending the snow that was on me flying.

I scanned the forest around me, but I saw no sight of Nightpaw's dark pelt. I opened my mouth to call for Nightpaw, but then I snapped my jaws back shut. If he was stalking prey, I didn't want to scare it way.

I turned to the tree beside me. Digging my claws into the bark, I started to scale it. I paused for a few heartbeats as the wind picked up, sinking my claws deeply into the trunk and screwing my eyes shut as I swayed in the breeze. I let out a sigh of relief as the wind settled back down, and I began to climb again. I made it to a large branch.

There was a large squirrel's nest nestled in a fork of the branch. I padded down the branch, hunched to limit the pull of the wind on my fur. I made it to the nest. I waited a few moments, getting ready before I sprung forward, and poked my head inside, teeth bared in preparation to snatch a squirrel. But, the nest was empty.

I pulled my head back, disappointment, as well as hunger, dragging at my belly.

I padded back toward the trunk. I looked higher up the trunk, spotting a small hollow farther up the tree. I climbed higher, slowing as I approached the hollow. To my delight, a scent of bird sifted down to me. My tail twitched with excitement. I gave my head a shake, readying myself. Then I bounded the last few tail lengths up to the hollow and shoved my head in it, completely filling the hole with my body. There was a starling in a nest in the hollow that let out a sharp alarm call at the sight of my face. I snapped at it. It panicked, flapping around the hollow. It's wings buffeted my head, feathers stinging my eyes until I finally managed it get its neck into my jaws. I pulled my head back out of the hollow with the prey in my mouth, glad that there was no one else here to see my clumsy kill.

I climbed back down the tree.

"Nightpaw?" I meowed around the starling in my mouth.

I padded the the tree that he was investigating, but besides some scraped up snow, there was no sight of him.

 _He must have wandered off to hunt._

I put the starling down and scraped some snow over it.

 _I should look for more prey too._

I padded back off into the trees.

Despite combing the forest for hours, scaling trees, and looking by roots, I had no more luck with prey. Finally, I was forced to return to my starling and retreat to camp.

I padded into our snowy camp and dropped my starling on our pitiful pile. Besides my bird, there was only a squirrel and three mice.

My stomach rumbled, but I didn't take anything. I spotted Cherrytail from across the clearing, and I went over to her.

"There you are, how was your hunt?" she meowed.

"Disappointing," I replied. "Only got one starling."

"Well, that's leaf-bare for you. Where's Nightpaw?" Cherrytail meowed, looking over my shoulder into camp.

"He's not back yet?" I asked with a blink.

"No," Cherrytail replied.

"He must still be hunting then," I meowed. "We got separated by the snow in the woods."

The snowy wind howled through camp like I summoned it with my words, ruffling my fur.

"Have the elders been fed yet?" I asked, stomach clenching.

"No," Cherrytail replied. "You can take the squirrel up to them. Have you eaten anything today yet?"

"No," I meowed, stomach clenching at the words.

Cherrytail nodded.

"Me neither," she meowed. "We need to conserve food, so when you get back we'll split a mouse."

"Thank you," I gasped, dipping my head to Cherrytail before rushing off to grab the squirrel and take it to the elder's den.

When I climbed back down the cliff after giving the squirrel to a grateful Lichenfur and a grouchy Tangle, I found, to my surprise, a large group of my clan mates out in the storm and clustered around the fresh kill pile. Mcgyver was facing Bouncefire, who was standing over the fresh kill pile. I padded over to join Cherrytail where she stood with our mouse at her paws.

"It's not fair for you to take prey," Bouncefire was meowing.

His voice was steady and calm, but there was a slight bristling to his fur.

"There is so little of it right now, and you have all the food you want at your two-leg den," Bouncefire said.

"I've gone on patrol today. The elders have been fed. All my warrior duties have been fulfilled. You can't stop me from taking prey," Mcgyver argued.

I turned to see Leafstar padding over to the group, having returned from border patrol. She gave her head a shake, shaking snow from her whiskers.

"Leafstar, I—" Bouncefire began.

"I heard what's going on," Leafstar meowed. "Bouncefire, the daylight warriors do as much hunting and patrolling as we do. So, they have as much right to the prey as we do. We have no right to tell them that they can't have any."

Bouncefire sheepishly stepped away from the pile, his ears flattening.

"No, Leafstar, Bouncefire has a point," Ebonyclaw meowed, stepping forward. "We have food to eat whenever we want it, while you don't."

"I'd offer to bring you all some of the food," Ebonyclaw continued, looking over at the gathered cats. "But, it would be next to impossible to carry it back. So, what makes sense is for us to stop eating the prey here at camp."

"But—" Mcgyver protested.

"I know our two-leg food isn't as good as the prey, but it's for the good of the Clan," Ebonyclaw meowed.

"I can't ask you to do that, Ebonyclaw," Leafstar meowed.

"I know. That's why you don't have to ask. We will do it ourselves. Haveymoon?" Ebonyclaw meowed, turning to the white tom.

He dipped his head in agreement.

"Mcgyver?" Ebonyclaw asked.

"Fine," Mcgyver grumbled, stepping away from the fresh kill.

"I'm very proud of you three," Leafstar meowed. "You do so much for the Clan."

They dipped their heads to Leafstar, and even Mcgyver perked up, now looking pleased rather than irritated. The group of cats dispersed with everyone looking more relaxed. I settled next to Cherrytail to share the mouse. As I ripped into the sweet flesh, the ache in my belly eased.

I sighed in relief as I lifted my head after finishing my share of the mouse.

"Have you seen Nightpaw?" Sharpclaw meowed, padding over to me.

"No," I replied, pelt starting to prickle.

"He still isn't back yet," I meowed, a trace of worry making its way into my voice.

"He should be here by now," Sharpclaw said, turning to look out of camp and towards the forest.

"What if something happened to him? Should we go to look?" I meowed, getting to my paws.

The cold wind twined around me tauntingly.

"I was going to," Sharpclaw meowed. "But, you don't have to."

"No, we'll help," Cherrytail said, standing up. "Where did you see him last, Lightningpaw?"

"We were hunting in the eastern woods," I meowed.

"Let's go then," Sharpclaw meowed, padding off.

"Shouldn't we tell Leafstar?" I meowed, bounding after him.

"There is no need to worry Leafstar unnecessarily. He may just have lost track of time," Sharpclaw meowed.

But, I saw him shoot a worried glance at the sinking sun. Cherrytail brushed against Sharpclaw's side briefly. He pressed his muzzle to her ear in reply before taking off. The three of us bounded out of camp with Sharpclaw in the lead. As we ran through the trees and approached the eastern woods, Sharpclaw turned his head to look back at me.

"You've got a good nose, Lightningpaw, any scent of him?" Sharpclaw asked.

The cold air stung my lungs as I breathed it in, but I shook my head. There was no trace of Nightpaw in the breeze. Calling Nightpaw's name, we padded all though the woods as the sun set and the sky went dark grey, the snow still falling. I was shivering when Sharpclaw finally turned back to me and Cherrytail.

"We'll head back to camp. We may have missed Nightpaw, and he could be there now," Sharpclaw meowed.

I nodded, noticing he neglected to tell us what we would do if Nightpaw wasn't there.

When we made it back to camp, it was fully dark. I ran up to Briarspot, who was sheltering from the weather by Rockpile with Ravenfur.

"Have either of you seen Nightpaw?" I panted.

"No, I don't think I have," Ravenfur meowed.

"But, check the apprentice den," Briarspot said.

"Is he missing?" Ravenfur meowed, seeing the worry on my face.

"I don't think he's come back from hunting way earlier today," I meowed, already backing away.

I turned, dashing to the cliff to look in the apprentice den. I poked my head in and only saw Creampaw curled up, napping in her nest. I whirled around and dashed back out, then came to a skidding stop as I almost ran smack into Wolfshade; he and his brother, Bouncefire, had been walking to the apprentice den.

"Is something wrong, Lightningpaw?" Wolfshade meowed, blinking down at me as I awkwardly backed away from him, fur fluffed with embarrassment.

"Nightpaw isn't here. I looked for him out in the woods with Cherrytail and Sharpclaw, but there was no sight of him. He hasn't come back from hunting at sunhigh," I panted, panic creeping into my voice.

I spotted Sharpclaw speaking with Leafstar and a group of warriors around Wolfshade's dark grey shoulder's.

I dodged around Wolfshade and Bouncefire, bounding over to them.

"Sorry Bouncefire, you'll have to find someone else to take Creampaw night hunting with," I heard Wolfshade mutter to Bouncefire behind me.

As I padded up to the group, Wolfshade shadowed me, taking his place at my shoulder.

"We will send out two patrols for him. Sharpclaw has already searched once. It's is very snowy and dangerously cold. You'll have to spread out to comb the forest, but stay within ear shot of your patrol the whole time. Nightpaw will be found tonight," Leafstar was meowing to the group, the wind blowing at her back and making her short fur bristle.

"I will lead a patrol with Sharpclaw, Plumwillow, Lionclaw, and Wolfshade," Leafstar said, sweeping her gaze over the assembled cats.

"Patchfoot, you will lead one with Brackenstorm, Sagewhisker, Clovertail, and Rabbitleap," Leafstar meowed.

"Should I take Seedpaw with me?" Patchfoot asked, squinting through the wind.

"No, I don't want any more apprentices out in this weather," Leafstar replied.

Bouncefire had joined the ring of cats. He bent his head to murmur something to Creampaw. She looked disappointed.

"I want to come," I meowed, the words bursting out as I slipped into the ring of warriors to stand in front of Leafstar.

All of the warriors in the circle turned to look at me. My fur bristled with discomfort under their gazes, but I kept my head high.

"Lightningpaw, I don't want you getting lost too. Besides, you must be tired, you've already gone hunting, then searched for him once today," Leafstar meowed, lowering her voice and turning to face me.

"He's my brother. I want to help," I meowed, meeting my mother's blue eyes stubbornly.

Determination along with concern for Nightpaw clenched at my stomach. Leafstar glanced to me, then back to the rest of the warriors, thinking.

"Fine. But, Seedpaw and Creampaw are to remain in camp, and you'll be joining my patrol, so I cant keep an eye on you," Leafstar meowed.

I bristled slightly at the thought of being treated like a kit, but I just ground my teeth and dipped my head to my mother.

"Thank you, Leafstar," I said.

"Now, let's not waste anymore time," Leafstar meowed.

I noticed that ice was crusting to her face fur, while the snow whipped around us. Leafstar turned, waving her tail.

"Let's head out."


	15. Chapter 14: A Bitterly Cold Night

I bounded out of camp after Leafstar. Honestly, my legs were tired from trekking through the snow all day. My paws trembled, and my muscles ached. But, I couldn't let my mother know, or else she'd send me right back to camp. And, I had to go out. I had to search for Nightpaw. I steeled myself and followed her into the forest.

The night was terribly cold. The wind raised the fur on my shoulders as it howled through the trees. The two patrols travelled together for a while into the woods, until Leafstar stopped all of us, raising her tail for attention.

"My patrol will take the North part of the forest," Leafstar meowed over the wind. "Patchfoot's will take the South."

"Patchfoot," Leafstar said, turning to the white and black tom. "Have your patrol fan out, but everyone is to stay within earshot of each other the whole time."

All the cats nodded in agreement, and then the two patrols split off in opposite directions.

As we walked through the dark forest, my breath fogged in the air in front of me, obscuring my vision even more than the snow already was.

"Alright, now spread out in the fan formation, but stay within earshot of the cats to your side. Yell if you find anything," Leafstar meowed.

Wolfshade came to my side, giving me a nod. Leafstar took the center of the group, so she could best hear cats from both sides. I ended up at the end of the line, with only Wolfshade to my left. Then we split off, each of us heading in slightly different directions in the undergrowth.

I lost sight of my clan mates very quickly in the trees and the snow, but I heard my mother's voice drift over to me on the wind.

"Sound off!"

"Here! Here! Here!" I heard my clan mates call.

"Here!" Wolfshade shouted, his voice louder than the rest.

"Here!" I cried.

Then the forest fell silent again, and I continued forward. It went on like that for a while. I padded forward, occasionally breaking through the top of the snow and having to struggle forward before I got to a place where the snow was more compact, and I could walk across the top again. I searched the snowy trees around me with my gaze, scenting the air, shouting for Nightpaw, and occasionally sounding off to Leafstar.

I shivered as an especially cold gust of wind lifted my coat. My paws and legs ached as I hiked on. As I turned, scanning the trees, I froze as I saw a silhouette of a cat through the undergrowth, a grey figure against a white landscape and a black sky.

"Nightpaw?" I called, squinting at the figure.

I turned my head to look over my shoulder, towards where I knew the rest of my patrol was.

 _Leafstar ordered us to stay in fan formation._

I hesitated, torn for a moment.

 _What if it's Nightpaw? I have to find him._

Determination and growing fear for my brother pounded in my chest. So, pushing aside my guilt, I turned and sloughed forward, head bent against the wind.

The outline of the cat stood froze, still facing me.

"Nightpaw!" I yowled again, blinking ice crystals out of my eyes as I pushed forward.

I stumbled through a bramble bush, my fur getting caught in the thorns and pulled off of my shoulders. By the time I made it through that patch of undergrowth, the cat was gone. I whirled around, eyes frantically scouring the snow covered forest around me.

"Nightpaw!" I shouted in anguish, frustratedly swiping a paw across the snow in front of me.

My cracked and bleeding paws left a smear of crimson across the white. Then the bramble bush caught my eye. Next to my ginger fur, there was a small tuft of black fur caught in the thorns. I gasped, springing over to it. I shoved my face into the bush, almost poking my own eye in order to shove my nose into the fur.

I breathed deeply and a shudder of relief shook my body as Nightpaw's familiar rich, deep scent rushed over me.

"Lightningpaw?" a voice echoed from a distance, just a faint cry entwined with the howling winds.

I whipped my head towards the call with a gasp, and I took off. It wasn't until I was tearing through the forest that I realized I was much too far from the patrol to be within earshot of each them. I pushed that problem aside for now.

"Nightpaw?" I shouted as I ran through the trees.

"Over here!" He said, his voice sounding muffled.

I turned to his voice and bounded through the deep snow, clawing my way up a snow bank. Then I saw a dark head with snow covered ears barely peek out from over another snow drift.

"Nightpaw," I gasped in relief, struggling through the snow and over to him.

"It's about time," Nightpaw meowed, his voice amused, but his teeth were chattering with cold.

"What wrong? Why are you—"

My voice trailed off as I saw the large hole in the snow at the base of a big tree that Nightpaw was in. Standing in the hole with more and more snow pilling on and around him, Nightpaw even with his dark coat was near invisible. And, one of his white forepaws was wedged in a gap between the roots of the tree, stuck fast. His other white forepaw was stained brown and red—muddied and bloodied with broken, cracked and bleeding claws from ripping at the roots and clawing at the frozen ground. His trapped paw was missing fur and bleeding around his ankle, rubbed raw from his attempts to free himself. Nightpaw shivered up at me from his hole in the snow. His nose had a worryingly blue tint to it.

"There was a mouse in the roots," he meowed in explanation.

"Oh, Nightpaw," I meowed, leaping down into the small hole next to him.

"Watch it," he meowed as I brought some more snow tumbling down with me.

I pressed against Nightpaw to warm him. He shook his head to flick the snow off his ears.

"I got the mouse, though," he meowed through chattering teeth.

I noticed the prey at his paws, the mouse's brown fur had frozen into spikes, but it was uneaten and untouched by Nightpaw.

"We have to get you out of here," I meowed.

"Yeah, I've been trying to do that," Nightpaw said.

I poked my head out of the hole, looking around for our clan mates for help, but I knew that they were much too far away to stumble past here.

"Have you see any cats around here?" I meowed. "I saw one not far from here. I thought it was you at first, actually, but when I came closer, he was gone."

Nightpaw shook his head.

"The last cat I saw was you when we were hunting together," Nightpaw meowed.

"But, that doesn't make sense," I argued. "I swear, he headed right this way."

"Look, I didn't see anyone. I've been here alone, freezing my tail off all day," Nightpaw snapped. "Now are you going to help me or not?"

I twitched my ears in annoyance, but I dropped it, instead I bent down to claw at the frozen ground beneath Nightpaw's foot.

"That's useless," Nightpaw grunted as he watched me tear up my pads and claws against the hard dirt.

"It feels like I'm scratching against rock," I gasped, looking at the two claws I had broken off on one of my paws in just a few heartbeats.

Nightpaw nodded.

"I'm pretty stuck," he agreed. "You need to get help."

I gazed at my brother, watching him shivering, looking so cold and miserable, but putting on a brave face.

"I don't want to leave you alone," I meowed.

"I'll be fine," he snapped. "Just come back fast."

I hesitated for a moment, before giving a brisk nod and climbing back out of the snowy hole.

The wind was still whipping around, masking the forest in a snowy blanket and disguising familiar landmarks in the white. I turned back to the tree that Nightpaw was trapped at the base of and scrambled a little ways up the side, so I could score my claws down the trunk, marking it to make it easier to recognize from a distance.

"I'll be right back," I meowed to Nightpaw. He nodded, and I turned, venturing back off into the forest.

I padded back the way I came, bounding over the snow.

"Wolfshade?" I yowled. "Leafstar!"

"Lightningpaw!"

I whirled around as Wolfshade came barreling out of a nearby bush, his long fur frozen into spikes and sparkling in the weak light.

"Where is StarClan's name were you?" he snapped, green eyes flashing. "We sounded off and you didn't answer!"

"I found Nightpaw!" I gasped. "He's stuck. I need the rest of the patrol to help."

"You shouldn't have wandered off alone! We've been having to look for you _and_ Nightpaw!" Wolfshade meowed, brow furrowing.

A sudden rush of anger swept through me as the stress of the day, the miserable cold, and the aching of my paws finally piled up and reached a breaking point. My pelt prickled with heat, chasing away some of the snow's chill.

"Nightpaw needed me! If I hadn't wandered off, we wouldn't have found him! Now, are you going to help me or not?" I snapped, fur bristling as I turned on the warrior.

Wolfshade blinked at me, looking like he wanted to say more, but then he didn't, instead he turned his head to yowl over his shoulder.

"Lightningpaw's here! She's found Nightpaw! We need help!" Wolfshade shouted.

I heard faint answers call back. We waited a few heartbeats, and the rest of our patrol began to appear out of the woods.

"I told you not to go out of earshot," Leafstar hissed as she appeared from the trees.

"Punish me later; we have to get Nightpaw right now," I meowed, meeting her eyes unblinkingly.

Lionclaw hissed in a sharp intake of breath at my impertinence, and I got a side eye from Wolfshade. But, I ignored them, turning back into the forest instead.

"This way!" I called.

I padded back the way I came with the rest of the patrol following. The snowy trees around us looked identical as we trekked through the snow. As we walked through the woods for a while, doubt began to gnaw at me. I looked from side to side uncertainly.

 _Am I going the wrong way?_

Panic started to claw at my insides. The confidence that I had earlier when I was assured that we could get to Nightpaw started to fade. My tail lowered and my pace slowed as I looked around more. Cold and uncertainty bit at my fur.

 _Oh StarClan, help me find him._

Then I spotted it. The tree with the bark I scoured off the sides appeared from behind another tree, the stark white wounds on the side of the trunk shining in the night like a beacon.

"There!" I meowed, bounding forward with renewed vigor.

The rest of the patrol surged forward behind me. We made it to the hole, greeting a groggy and shivering, but happy Nightpaw.

With the combined force of the cats in the patrol, we were able to free Nightpaw, granted, after a lot of digging and a lot of broken claws and scraped pads.

"Don't forgot the mouse," Nightpaw meowed as he cautiously lowered his weight onto his freed, but injured paw.

Lionclaw picked it up, and Nightpaw clawed his way out of the hole on shaky legs. He was only able to take a couple of steps before collapsing, shivering too uncontrollably to go any further. I pressed my nose to Nightpaw's shoulder as he panted and shivered on the snow, trying to gather his legs under him again. Leafstar circled around him, licking his head soothingly, every fur on her back bristling with anxiety. Sharpclaw brushed past her and gave Nightpaw a nudge. Nightpaw glanced up at his mentor.

"I can't walk right now. Sorry," he whispered.

Sharpclaw gave his head a shake to silence him, then he nudged his way under Nightpaw. Hoisting Nightpaw up on his broad shoulders, Sharpclaw led the way back to camp.

**Author's Note: I've been very busy with school, so I apologize for infrequent or erratic updates, but I promise am not stopping writing the story.**


	16. Chapter 15: Dawn Patrol

Nightpaw didn't spend long recovering in the medicine cat's den. His ankle was bruised, but not seriously injured, and besides his exhaustion and broken claws, his only real injury was the loss of the very tip of his left ear from frostbite. Once a few sunrises passed, the Clan settled back into a schedule of normality, the panic of the snow storm behind us.

I was sharing a mouse with Creampaw in the evening when Cherrytail told me I would be on dawn patrol tomorrow. So, after swallowing my last mouthful, I meowed goodnight to Creampaw and headed to bed early. Or at least, I tried to go to bed.

My thoughts were too restless for me to actually sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about Nightpaw, who was back in the den next to me.

 _What would I have done if I had lost him in the snow?_

I shuddered at the thought, a deep gulf filling my chest at the horrid thought. I gave Nightpaw a glance out of the side of my eyes, watching his dark flanks rise and fall as he slept peacefully.

My anxiety slipped away as I watched him, reassured that he was safe, and I snorted softly in amusement as my gaze swept over his face.

Even though there wasn't a lot missing, I still hadn't quite gotten used to looking at his lopsided ears yet.

I turned over and shut my eyes again, willing sleep to come. The sound of the wind blowing across the mouth of the den whistled in my ears. It almost sounded like whispering. If I listened closer, I almost felt like I could make out words in the noise.

I shook my pelt, eyes snapping open as I felt a small jolt of fear at that thought. I didn't want to hear voices in meaningless murmurs of wind.

I was restless for the rest of the night, on edge, afraid of almost hearing voices in the wind again. I finally gave up on sleep when dawn wasn't too far off, and I padded out of the den and down to Rockpile, hoping that something small was still left on the fresh-kill pile, and I could eat it before the patrol.

The camp was eerily silent. All of the night creatures had returned to their nests, but the animals that walked in the sun had yet to wake up. The only noise in camp was the stirring of the wind through the trees. And, the only sight was the very slowly lightening sky.

There was one small mouse left on the prey pile. I took one step towards it, before hesitating and turning away. I couldn't take the last piece of prey. The elders and queens had to be fed first. I padded over to sit next to Rockpile. I shivered in the cold morning air, watching my breath drift towards the slowly lightening sky when a solitary cat slipped into camp, carrying prey in his mouth. He dropped the prey off and padded over to me. I recognized the board shoulders first, realizing it was Wolfshade.

"What are you doing up?" I asked him, keeping my voice friendly, but cautious.

I hadn't spoken to him since the search for Nightpaw, and I hadn't forgotten how he had reprimanded me for wandering off. Leafstar hadn't punished me for it besides a scolding once we got back to camp. I think she was so grateful to have both her kits back and safe, that she couldn't bring herself to really punish me.

He flicked his tail towards the fresh-kill pile.

"I went for a night hunt," he meowed.

"How was it?" I meowed.

"Less muddy than our day hunt, but also less fun," he meowed with a glance at me from the corner of his eye.

I purred in reply, warmth for him returning to my chest. I blinked up at him. He gazed at me for a while longer, before clearing his throat and breaking eye contact.

"So, what are _you_ doing up?" Wolfshade asked, settling down beside me.

"Ah, just getting an early start on dawn patrol," I meowed.

"Such an overachiever," Wolfshade said drily, his mew uncharacteristically playful.

He seemed relaxed and cheerful this morning.

"What can I say? You know me," I purred in reply.

We fell into silence as we watched the sky turn from indigo to blue. One by one, each star in Silverpelt faded and winked out of existence, gone until evening when the sun again will dip beneath the earth, restoring night's reign. I glanced over at Wolfshade, feeling a bit surprised that he stayed down in camp with me instead of heading up to his nest.

At the thought of a nest, my jaws opened in a huge yawn that wracked my body from nose to tail tip.

"Tired?" Wolfshade mewed sympathetically.

"Yeah. I didn't get much sleep last night," I admitted.

 _Or the night before that…_

My tail twitched bitterly at the thought of my constant tiredness, yet inability to sleep.

"You can close your eyes for a while," Wolfshade offered. "I'll wake you when the dawn patrol forms."

"Really?" I meowed, blinking in surprise.

He nodded.

"Thanks, Wolfshade," I meowed through another yawn.

I lowered my head to my paws and almost as soon as I shut my eyes, I was asleep.

It felt like my eyes had been closed for a mere heartbeat when a muzzle was nudging my shoulder. My eyes flickered open and I sat up, groggy.

"The dawn patrol is ready, and I'm heading up to my nest," Wolfshade meowed briskly.

"Oh…Ok. Bye," I meowed, blinking hard.

My thoughts were hazy and disoriented from being suddenly ripped from sleep.

But, Wolfshade had already bounded off, before the final word could even pass my lips.

 _So much for being warmer than usual,_ I thought with an ear twitch.

I bent my head to give myself a quick grooming and noticed that my left side suddenly felt cold. I pressed my muzzle into the fur of my side and the faint remains of Wolfshade's cool scent drifted into my nose. Suddenly, a picture flashed into my mind of me sleeping peacefully, and Wolfshade scooting over to me, pressing himself to my side. My fur blazed hot at the thought, but I quickly pushed it away.

 _Why would he do that?_ I chided myself.

I must have just imagined the coolness and the scent on my fur.

I gave my head a shake to clear my thoughts before I sprung to my paws and dashed over to join the patrol.

XXXX

Dawn patrol, for being _dawn_ patrol was rather pleasant. It was me, Cherrytail, Sagewhisker, and Harveymoon. I spent most of the time chatting with Sagewhisker. He was a pleasant cat, friendly, easy to talk to, and laid back. It was hard to believe Minttail was his sister.

"More rogue scent on the Southern border," Cherrytail meowed as we padded through the woods.

I opened my mouth to scent the air, and sure enough, the now familiar scents of the black-and-white rogue and Whisper drifted into my mouth. But, there were other scents now too. More cats, with the same sharp edge to their scent as Whisper and the other rogue.

"It's more than just two cat scents now," Sagewhisker said with an edge of worry in his mew.

I nodded in confirmation.

Cherrytail's tail tip twitched.

"Because they haven't taken us up on our offer to come to camp yet that makes me think that they aren't interested in joining SkyClan at all," Cherrytail meowed. "I'll talk to Leafstar when we get back because we need to make sure that this hunting in our territory doesn't become permanent. But, in the meanwhile, mark the borders twice."

As Haveymoon and Sagewhisker padded over to remark the borders, Cherrytail looked out into the trees to where the rogue scent drifted in from, her gaze thoughtful.

"What are you thinking about?" I meowed to Cherrytail as the toms returned and we continued down the border.

My stomach growled as I was asking the question.

Cherrytail purred loudly as my fur prickled with embarrassment.

"That's what I'm thinking about. Leaf-bare is here and in full strength. We can't afford to lose prey to rogues. Have you seen how thin Lichenfur is getting?" Cherrytail meowed, an edge of concern in her voice.

As she spoke, her tail moved forward to curve protectively around her belly.

"You've been getting enough to eat right?" I meowed, with a gasp, my fur bristling as I noticed the movement.

"Oh, yes. I'm fine, Lightningpaw. You don't have to worry about me," Cherrytail said, turning to blink at me reassuringly.

Her tail dropped back down.

"Oh… well, good," I replied, relaxing after giving her another glance to make sure that she didn't look like she was lying.

As we padded along the border I lifted my nose to scent the air, trying my very hardest to search for prey scent on the cold breeze. The pain in my grumbling stomach gave my nose a sharper edge, heightening the sense so I could hunt and satisfy my hunger. A hint of rabbit drifted in on the breeze.

"I've caught a scent of rabbit!" I meowed, muscles clenching in excitement at the thought of such a large piece of prey.

"This isn't a hunting patrol," Harveymoon meowed.

"We need every bit of prey we can get," Cherrytail meowed, turning to nod at me.

"Go on."

"I'll come too," Sagewhisker meowed.

I turned, slinking into the undergrowth, Sagewhisker at my tail.

As I followed the prey scent, Sagewhisker and I glided over fallen leaves with barely a whisper. The scent lead to a holly bush where I spotted the rabbit rooting beneath, trying to find shoots that survived the snow in the shelter beneath the bush. It was full sized and looked healthy. I clenched my stomach to stop it from growling at the sight. I studied the bush; it was too low to the ground to get a good pounce at the rabbit. It'll see me coming before I could get close enough to kill it, and then take off running. I decided to use its flight to our advantage.

"I'll come around, and send it running straight to you," I breathed to Sagewhisker.

Sagewhisker nodded, green eyes bright with understanding, and he hunkered down behind a patch of bracken in preparation. I slunk around the holly bush, giving it a wide breadth so the rabbit didn't catch sight of me or catch a whiff of my scent. Once I was opposite of Sagewhisker, I crouched, wiggling my haunches, then sprung towards the rabbit. I bounded toward the bush, reaching under the prickly branches to swipe at the rabbit with my paw. But, as I expected, the rabbit was out of reach. My attack sent the rabbit rocketing away, and straight into Sagewhisker. In a grey flash, he had sprung out of his hiding place and pounced on the rabbit, snapping its neck. Sagewhisker looked up at my triumphantly, the rabbit hanging from his jaws.

I was about to purr a congratulations when I saw a large shadow detach itself from the brambles behind Sagewhisker, looming over the grey cat. A sharp, rancid scent like crow-food drifted into my mouth.

"—Behind you!" I meowed the strangled warning, tongue tripping over my words.

Sagewhisker whipped around, eyes widening as a huge dog fox stalked towards him from the shadows. It's red pelt was dull and patchy, ribs jutting from its sides, yellow eyes staring and savage from its sunken skull. The fox snarled, salvia dripping from its fangs and jowls, and it sprung at Sagewhisker with surprising speed for its starved appearance. I leapt forward with a yowl, coming to Sagewhisker's defense as he dodged the fox's snapping jaws. I slashed my claws across its shoulder, and the fox whirled on me. Sagewhisker dropped the rabbit to unburden himself, freeing his fangs. He leapt to my defense with a hiss. Sagewhisker's claws flashed across the fox's nose, causing it to growl in anger. The fox lunged forward and Sagewhisker and I both sprung back out of its reach, but the fox wasn't lunging for us. The fox fixed its fangs around the large, juicy rabbit, then reared its head back, the big piece of prey hanging from its jaws.

"Hey! That's ours!" Sagewhisker snarled, springing at the fox again.

The fox swatted at Sagewhisker with a paw, sending him sprawling from the unexpected blow. Sagewhisker stumbled back to his paws, and I advanced on the fox with a snarl. The fox dropped the rabbit for a moment to snap at me with lightning speed, I leapt back, wincing as I lost a huge clump of fur from my shoulder and feeling the fox's teeth graze my skin. I felt blood starting to well in the shallow wound. The fox snatched the rabbit back up. Sagewhisker was readying for another attack, his fur on his slashed side darkening with blood.

"Leave it!" Cherrytail yowled, her and Haveymoon bursting through the bushes, attracted by the commotion.

She and Harveymoon turned on the fox with bristling pelts.

"But—" Sagewhisker protested, turning to look at Cherrytail.

The fox wasted no time in whirling around and vanishing back into the forest with its prize clenching in it mouth.

"We lost our prey!" Sagewhisker snarled in frustration.

"One rabbit isn't worth losing your ears and tail!" Cherrytail snapped.

Sagewhisker looked like he might want to protest again, but he managed to quiet himself.

"Are you alright?" Cherrytail meowed to me.

I nodded, feeling my shoulder sting.

"It's just a scratch," I meowed.

"And you?" Cherrytail asked Sagewhisker.

Sagewhisker gave a nod in reply, despite that the fur on his side was clumping with blood.

"That fox was starving," I meowed, remembering the sharpness of the fox's skeleton under its fur.

"It was," Cherrytail agreed. "And, hunger makes things desperate and dangerous. We need to head back and report it to Leafstar, so our Clan can be aware of it and so it can be tracked down and chased out of our territory before it can steal more of our prey."

"If it came across a lone cat, that fox would have done a lot worst than just steal prey," Harveymoon muttered darkly.

Sagewhisker and I exchanged a wide-eyed glance. Cherrytail nodded in agreement with Harveymoon, her tail unconsciously curling forward over her belly again.

I shuddered, turning to look the ground at my feet where the fox had stood, and I watched as crimson droplets beaded in my wound and dripped down to mingle with the blood of the rabbit.


	17. Chapter 16: The Fox

Leafstar raised her tail in the center of camp, turning towards the path that lead to Skyrock. A moon had passed since my hunting assessment, and it was time for another gathering. I rose to my paws and padded alongside my clan mates as we followed my mother.

The Clan climbed the trail to Skyrock, leaping onto its huge, flat surface one by one. When I was my turn, I took a running start before springing. I landed safely, several tail lengths away from the edge. I flexed my shoulder, feeling the still healing scratch from the fox stretch my skin uncomfortably.

I saw Wolfshade already seated on Skyrock. He turned, meeting my gaze with his own.

I enjoyed his company when we were assigned on hunting patrols or border patrols together, making small talk or teasing comments, but I didn't see him around camp very much. We've talked about my hunting assessment only in passing. And, we never discussed how I had fallen asleep on his shoulder that morning before dawn patrol several sunrises ago.

I took a step towards him.

"Lightningpaw, sit next to us," Sagewhisker called from the center of Skyrock with Lionclaw at his side.

I stopped mid-step. I cast a final glance at Wolfshade. He gazed back at me as Minttail padded over to him. She sat at his side. And, our eye contact broke as he turned his head away so that she could whisper something into his ear. I swallowed and turned aside, walking over to Sagewhisker. I took a seat next to the grey tabby warrior. Lionclaw was chatting happily when Leafstar strode onto the center of Skyrock and rose her tail for silence.

"It is another full moon, and so we begin our gathering," Leafstar meowed. "We're going through a difficult leaf-bare. Prey is scarce. There was a terrible snowfall, and Nightpaw got caught in it, but thanks to the combined efforts of our clan mates, he was rescued and now in safe and sound."

Leafstar gave the Clan and approving nod and there were mutters of appreciation as cats looked around at each other. I gazed around at my clan mates as well, but I paused my scanning of the crowd as I spotted an unfamiliar silhouette seated at the very edge of Skyrock.

"Who's that?" I whispered to Sagewhisker, nodding towards the cats.

"Who?" Sagewhisker meowed, brow furrowing.

"There—" I meowed.

"Shh," Lionclaw hissed, cutting me off.

"…There is still rogue scent on our borders," Leafstar was meowing.

I cast a glance at Lionclaw before turning to look at the silhouette again, but it was gone.

I scanned my seated clan mates, but whoever the stranger was, he had vanished. I turned back around, letting out a soft hiss of frustration.

 _How had that cat even gotten up here? He must have taken the trail, right? That's the only way…_

I blinked, narrowing my eyes.

 _Or perhaps I only imagined him. Or, it was only one of my clan mates that I didn't recognize for some reason._

I shook my head, and started listening to my mother again.

"…And, as you all know, we are still being threatened by a fox. It is large and dangerous, do not engage it alone. And, no apprentices are allowed out of camp without a warrior with them while the fox is still in our territory," Leafstar finished.

The Clan around me nodded in agreement.

"It's a good thing that the nursery is empty right now, with that fox hanging around. Who knows what it would do to kits," Clovertail meowed with a shudder.

Leafstar nodded to her.

"Quite right, Clovertail. Does anyone have any announcements to make?" Leafstar meowed.

"…Well, the nursery might be empty for now, but it won't stay like that very long," Cherrytail meowed, looking uncharacteristically shy. "Sharpclaw and I are expecting kits!"

Sharpclaw was sitting at Cherrytail's side, and at her announcement he raised his chin, pride and happiness shining in his green eyes. He swept his ginger tail over Cherrytail's flank, pressing himself closer to her.

The Clan exclaimed their congratulations, leaving Cherrytail purring happily, delight plain on her face.

"That's great news, Cherrytail," Leafstar purred. "Despite leaf-bare, SkyClan will continue to grow in strength with the addition of new kits."

"And, I'm sure the fox will be taken care of before your kits arrive," Clovertail meowed, looking like she felt bad for her earlier comment about the empty nursery.

We stayed on Skyrock for a while longer as my clan mates shared rather mundane pieces of news about good hunting spots or where they found some soft moss. When the moon began to lower some in the sky, Leafstar announced the gathering was over, and we returned to camp.

After I padded into the apprentice den behind Nightpaw, I curled up in my nest, my eyes quickly drifting shut. In a rare turn of events, sleep swept over me easily tonight, and I felt myself slip into the comfortable darkness.

I was immediately swept into a dream.

I was padding through camp. The night sky was starless, covered by rolling black storm clouds. I shivered despite the warm and humid air, a sense of unease running up my spine. I began to hear whispers. Ominous shadows crept around me, coming in from the corners of my vision. I whirled around, fur on my back rising as the whispers grew stronger and strong as the shadows loomed closer.

My eyes snapped open as I lay twitching in my nest, but to my surprise, the whispering hadn't stopped. I caught a flicker of movement in the corner of my vision, and I saw Creampaw and Seedpaw creeping out of the den, whispering together. They hadn't noticed me wake.

 _Where are they going?_

Seedpaw cast a nervous glance over her shoulder, and I quickly narrowed my eyes to tiny slits so I appeared asleep.

 _Maybe to the dirt-place?_

I watched the young apprentices vanish out of the mouth of the den.

 _But why would they go to the dirt-place in the middle of the night, whispering together?_

I sighed. A part of me wanted to curl up in my nest and pretend like I hadn't seen anything. But, I remembered the snap of the fox's fangs too clearly to allow Creampaw and Seedpaw to just wander off in the middle of the night, and do… whatever it was that they were doing.

I reluctantly rose from my nest and padded to the mouth of the den without disturbing Nightpaw.

I poked my head out of the den, feeling a gust of cold night air over my whiskers. I blinked, scanning the camp for the apprentices. I spotted them at the very edge of the gorge, slinking through the shadows and into the undergrowth of the forest. I twisted my head to look at the warrior on watch on Skyrock at the other end of the camp. The dark silhouette hadn't seemed to notice the escaping apprentices.

I heaved a sigh and crept down the cliff after Seedpaw and Creampaw.

I slunk out of camp the same way they took, their scents fresh in my nose. If I moved quickly, I should be able to catch them and bring them back to camp before anyone notices we're gone.

I followed their scent trail at a jog, weaving through the forest, ears pricked and wary for the sound of approaching predators. Their scent went deep into the forest, meandering without direction from here to there. I increased my pace so I could catch them. Irritation at the fact that I was running through the forest to save these mouse-brains stung at my paws as I galloped through the undergrowth. Their scent grew stronger and my ears swiveled, picking up the sound of crunching leaves under paws ahead.

Then two screams tore through the still night air, raising the fur on my shoulders, and filling my stomach with icy fear. I took off, paws flying as I tore through the night.

"Creampaw! Seedpaw!" I yowled as the shrieks continued.

I gritted my teeth, muscles burning as I sprinted towards them as fast as I could. I burst through the undergrowth, the familiar rotting scent of crowfood rushing over me, raising the fur on my shoulders.

 _The fox._

I took the scene in without slowing my run. The fox stood in the middle of a clearing, moonlight turning its patchy fur silver. It's eyes were as sunken and empty as I remembered them, but it still had some strength left in its wiry muscles, and it had Seedpaw's hind leg in it's jaws. Seedpaw twisted in the fox's grip, scratching at its muzzle, while Creampaw clung to it's shoulder, shrieking, and batting its head in a futile attempt to free her sister.

I opened my jaws, a battle cry bursting from my throat as I launched myself at the fox without breaking stride. I slammed into the side of the fox's face hard, the force of my leap violently snapping its head to the side. It's jaws opened and Seedpaw sprung free, scrambling out of reach, bleeding, but not too badly. Creampaw took the opportunity from my attack to leap off of the fox and dash to check on her sister. I landed on the ground, pivoting so I could face the fox, a hiss on my lips. The fox glared at me, fury burning in its eyes. It was mad I had freed its food from its grip.

" _Get out of here!_ " I spat, baring my teeth and hissing as menacingly as I could manage.

The fox sprung at me with unexpected speed.

I screeched in surprise, leaping forward as the fox's jaws snapped shut only a whisker-length away from the tip of my tail. I whirled to face the fox again, fur bristling in fear. I almost lost a part of my _tail_.

The fox lunged again, but this time I was more prepared. I shoved aside my fear, and remembering my battle training, I leapt straight into the air and twisted so I could land on the fox's back. I sunk my claws into it's skin under its thin pelt. I bit at its neck and back, clawing and damaging it as much as I could. The fox growled, giving its pelt a sharp shake. I wobbled, losing my balance for a moment. I was almost dislodged, but then I braced myself, sinking my claws deeper into its flesh. I sunk my fangs deep into the fox's neck, feeling a vicious jolt of satisfaction when my mouth flooded with the salty tang of blood.

A flash of motion caught my eye, and I noticed too late that I had carelessly let one of my forepaw slip too far down the fox's shoulder, and into its reach.

The fox whipped its head to the side, managing to grip my foreleg in its jaws. I shrieked as it yanked its head around, pulling me off of its back. It released its jaws, throwing me across the clearing. I landed with a thud, bruising my side. My bitten leg ached, but not too badly.

 _It's only a scratch. Ignore the pain._

"Lightningpaw! Are you alright?" Seedpaw shouted from the other side of the clearing.

She and Creampaw stood with their claws out and fur bristling, but they looked unsure of what to do.

I scrambled back to my paws as the fox rounded on me, stalking closer.

"I'm fine," I meowed back, not taking my eyes off of the fox. "We just need to—"

I flinched as the fox lunged, its yellow eyes burning and its red-stained jaws opening wide.

A fluffy shadow shot out of the bushes, leaping in front of me and onto the fox's face and clawing at its eyes.

"Run!" the cat hissed as it sprung back off of the fox's face.

I recognized the distinctive rasp of Whisper, the rogue.

The fox shook it's head, bright red blood flying like scarlet rain. It turned away from me and to Whisper, its growl deep and furious. Creampaw and Seedpaw shot me a look, but wasted no time in obeying Whisper. They took off into the forest, heading back towards camp.

I hesitated.

The fox had rounded on Whisper. Whisper hissed, a terrible grating sound, and slowly backed away, luring the fox away from the direction that Creampaw and Seedpaw ran in. I stepped forward with a growl at the fox, intent on helping Whisper.

"Go!" a voice hissed from the shadows of a nearby bush.

I turned in surprise to see an unfamiliar white rogue glaring at me with bright green eyes.

"There may be more foxes. Help your friends. We can handle this," the white rogue said.

I paused, then gave a brisk nod.

I turned and ran. I looked back over my shoulder and watched the white rogue launch out of the bushes to hit the fox, clawing at its shoulders. Then the white rogue sprung back off and she and Whisper vanished into the shadows with the fox in hot pursuit.

I turned my gaze back forward and concentrated on following Creampaw and Seedpaw's scents back to camp.

My leg was throughly aching by the time I brushed through the undergrowth into camp.

"There she is!" I heard Seedpaw gasp.

The camp was no longer empty. A good amount of warriors had gathered around Seedpaw and Creampaw, Leafstar and Sharpclaw among them. Other cats poked their heads from dens and Echosong was running from the medicine cat's den to Seedpaw with herb and cobwebs to bandage her hind leg.

Panting, I limped over to the group of cats.

"What is StarClan's name happened here?" Leafstar hissed to me, her eyes flashing in the moonlight.

I have never seen my mother look so mad.

"I saw Creampaw and Seedpaw sneaking out of the den. I was worried about them being alone with the fox in the forest, so I followed them to bring them back," I meowed, raising my chin under the heat of my mother's gaze.

Leafstar turned to look at the younger apprentices.

"And, why were you two leaving camp?" she asked.

Creampaw and Seedpaw exchanged an ashamed glance.

"We thought if we could find the fox and chase it out of the territory, so it wouldn't steal our prey or hurt anyone else," Creampaw muttered.

Leafstar shook her head.

"You disobeyed my direct orders by leaving camp without a warrior. You could have been killed," Leafstar meowed, voice firm.

She turned her gaze on me.

"All of you," she meowed.

"I only went after them to stop them!" I protested.

"Then you should have gotten a warrior to go with you!" Leafstar meowed.

"If I had waited Creampaw and Seedpaw might be dead," I meowed stubbornly.

The warriors around us watched our exchange in silence. I caught a glimpse of Cherrytail from behind my mother. My heart sank to see the disappointed look on her face.

"Lightningpaw saved me when the fox had me by my leg," Seedpaw interrupted softly.

"And, she fought the fox all by herself until the rogues showed up," Creampaw added.

"The rogues?" Leafstar asked, eyes flickering from me to Creampaw, then back.

"The ginger rogue named Whisper came to fight the fox. There was a white she-cat with her too," I meowed. "They distracted the fox and told us to go while they lured it away."

"Sharpclaw, take a patrol and follow the apprentices' scent trail. Make sure the rogues don't need help getting away from the fox," Leafstar meowed, turning to the deputy.

Sharpclaw gave a sharp nod, gathered up a large patrol of cats from the warriors around him, and they bounded out of camp.

"As for you three…" Leafstar meowed, turning back to us.

Echosong, finished with Seedpaw, padded over to me and began to apply herbs to my scratched leg to ward off infection.

"I will leave it up to your mentors to decide your punishments," Leafstar finished.

I opened my jaws to protest before snapping them back shut when Leafstar shot me a challenging look, daring me to argue. I gave her a stiff formal nod, and my mother whirled around.

"Back to your dens everyone," she meowed.

Cats began to disperse, slowly returning to their nests. I watched Brackenstorm bound up to Leafstar. He bent his head to murmur something in her ear and her tense shoulders relaxed as they headed back up to their den.

"You're good," Echosong meowed to me, finishing with the herbs on my leg. "The cuts are shallow."

I gave her a nod and turned towards the apprentice den.

"You shouldn't have gone after Creampaw and Seedpaw like that."

My ears prickled and swiveled towards the sound of Wolfshade's voice. I turned to him as he padded up to me, his grey fur shining silver in the moonlight.

"You could have died," he meowed.

My tail twitched.

"But, I didn't," I meowed, trying not to let my irritation show in my voice.

My patience was wearing thin. I was exhausted, and sick of being scolding for saving my clan mate's lives. Irritation was bubbling awful close to the surface.

"You could have gotten me to go with you," Wolfshade pointed out, shooting me a glance out of narrowed eyes.

I think I could detect and edge of irritation in his mew too.

"Or, literally any other warrior," he added.

"Look, could you save it?" I snapped. "I just heard all this from my mother."

"That's because it's important!" he said, green eyes flashing in the low light.

"You have no right to reprimand me," I meowed. "You're not my mentor."

"I know! I just want you to be—" he stopped himself suddenly, brow furrowing.

I waited for him to finish, my tail-tip twitching.

"…Look, just don't get yourself killed, alright?" Wolfshade finally muttered, turning away from me.

"Yeah. Deal," I said, irritation waning as I saw his shadowed face.

He looked strangely sad and uncertain. I almost wanted to reach my paw and touch his shoulder in a comforting gesture. But, instead I just stood and brushed past him to pad up to my den.


	18. Chapter 17: New Mentors

"Watch it!" Lichenfur snapped, recoiling from the mouse-bile soaked moss that hung precariously from the stick in my mouth.

"If you get that on my fur, the scent won't come out for a moon!" she meowed.

"Sorry," I muttered around the stick, nose wrinkling at the horrid smell that wafted up from the mouse-bile.

I bent to dab the mouse-bile on the tick at the base of Lichenfur's neck, a bit more carefully this time.

 _How do the elders even manage to get all these ticks? It's not like they ever leave the camp!_

Lichenfur muttered something about clumsy apprentices, and I tried to keep my tail tip from twitching.

Cherrytail had put me care of the elders as a punishment for the fox incident. I've barely been out of camp since then, even though there's been no sign of the fox since. The patrol sent after the rouges that night came back with no news. The fox had vanished along with Whisper and the white she-cat.

The tick finally dropped off the neck of the elder, wiggling weakly on the floor of the den. Lichenfur speared it with her claw, giving a satisfied purr as the parasite died.

"Is that the last of them?" I mumbled around the twig in my mouth.

"Yes it is," Lichenfur meowed with a pleased shake of her head.

I padded over to Tangled, the mouse-bile still in my jaws.

"Woah," Tangled growled, pulling away from me. "I don't need you drippin' that all over my pelt like you did to Lichenfur, thank you very much. I've lived on my own far longer than you've even been alive. Longer than even your mother, Leafstar, has been alive, for that matter. I can handle my own ticks, don't need no uppity young daughter of a kitty-pet doin' it for me."

My eyes flashed as I clenched my jaw around the stick in my mouth in annoyance.

"If you want to have your blood eaten by bugs, that's fine with me. Just don't call me a kitty-pet. I've never put one whisker in a two-leg's den. I'm no more kitty-pet than you are," I meowed, glaring at the old cat.

He just gave a snort and shook his patchy pelt in reply.

"I'll bring some prey up for you," I muttered, turning towards the den entrance.

 _Elders,_ I thought in exasperation.

I padded down the side of the cliff, making a stop at the medicine cat's den to return the mouse-bile to Echosong. Then I turned towards the fresh-kill pile. I saw two good looking mice on top that looked fresh enough to placate even Lichenfur's whining about the quality of her prey.

As I bent my head to pick up the mice, I noticed a patrol consisting of Shrewtooth, Sagewhisker, Brackenstorm, Nettlesplash, and Briarspot padding out of camp.

I watched them with envy, flexing my claws into the ground and wishing that I could be leaving with them.

As the border patrol padded out, they brushed past a returning hunting patrol. At it's head was Ebonyclaw, followed by Egg, Wolfshade, Fallowfern, and Waspwhisker. The large hunting patrol came back with only two sparrows, a mouse, and a squirrel. Waspwhisker was empty pawed and looked disappointed for it.

My stomach clenched in stress and in hunger at the sight. We were not out of the claws of leaf-bare yet.

"For the elders?" Ebonyclaw meowed to me with a nod at the mice in my mouth.

I nodded as she dropped her sparrow onto the pile.

"Good," she meowed, casting a glance at the small pile with a sigh.

I heard her belly rumble, but she stepped away from the prey.

 _Is she going to only eat the kitty-pet food at her two-leg den again?_ I wondered.

I watched the black she-cat pad away, a bit of admiration for her dedication to the Clan prickling at my pelt.

As I turned aside, I almost bumped into Wolfshade, who was heading over to drop the squirrel on the pile.

"Oh, sorry," I meowed, side-stepping.

"No problem," he meowed, moving around me and accidentally brushing his pelt against mine.

My stomach flipped in a small surge of excitement at the touch.

 _Stop that!_ I scolded myself, and forced my paws to bound me away.

I scaled the cliff at a sprint, and the weird nervous energy in my belly had dissipated by the time I entered the elder's den.

I dropped the mice off for them and slipped back outside, trying to convince myself that I wasn't secretly hoping Wolfshade was still hanging around by the fresh-kill pile.

I gave the camp a quick scan, but he was gone again. My tail-tip drooped in disappointment for a heartbeat, before I forced it straight again.

 _Why am I disappointed? It's not like I actually wanted to see him, remember?_ I chided myself.

 _Stop deluding yourself, mouse-brain,_ another thought whispered in my mind.

I gave my head a shake. I was trying to push all of the confusing feelings out of my mind when I spotted Cherrytail padding over to me. I perked up at the sight of my mentor. During this punishment we had not talked often.

"Well?" she meowed, coming over.

"…Yes?" I asked hesitantly, uncertain if she was still cross at me for getting in trouble.

I could not read her feelings on her face.

"Have you learned your lesson?" Cherrytail asked.

"…Let the younger apprentices run off in the middle of the night and be eaten by foxes without interfering?" I replied cheekily, deciding to gamble on her being in a good mood.

My risk paid off.

Cherrytail burst into laughter, sides shaking with purrs.

"Yes. That's exactly what I meant," she meowed, warmth in her green eyes.

I purred in reply, relief blossoming in my chest to see that she had forgiven me for the fox.

"I won't leave camp without alerting a warrior and try to take on a fox again," I meowed, growing serious.

Cherrytail's purrs slowly quieted down.

"Good," she said with a nod to me, her bright eyes flashing.

Cherrytail turned aside to pad away.

"Your training will resume tomorrow," she meowed over her shoulder.

XXXX

As the days passed, training went on as usual, despite the persistent insomnia that still plagued my nights, leaving me tired and groggy every morning. I enjoyed every day that I spent going out on border patrols or hunting. After being stuck in camp caring for the elders for so long, I won't take hunting or patrolling for granted again.

But, I noticed some changes with Cherrytail. She got tired more easily, slowed down some, and slowly her belly became more plump. Sharpclaw was very protective of her. If he could, he would spend every second at her side, but Cherrytail would not retire to the nursery until she was good and ready.

"I'm expecting kits, not dying," she hissed to him one day after a bought of fighting practice, in which he wanted her to not participate.

Sharpclaw looked taken back, but didn't reply and instead padded over to the side of the clearing to join Nightpaw. I noticed with a jolt how large my brother was; he stood nearly as tall as Sharpclaw, making him one of the bigger cats in the clan. I looked over to Cherrytail. She was lashing her tail irritably, but my eyes were level with hers. We were the same size. Maybe, Cherrytail's stubbornness to remain my mentor would pay off, and she would be able to see me through to my warriors ceremony after all.

As the sun set, Cherrytail and I walked back to camp from the training clearing without Sharpclaw and Nightpaw.

 _I suppose Cherrytail is still mad at her mate for trying to convince her to take it easy._

We were about half way back to the gorge when Cherrytail sighed suddenly.

"I'm moving to the nursery tomorrow. I've asked Leafstar to find you another mentor," she announced.

"What? Are you sure?" I asked, turning to her.

"Yes, it's time," she sighed, her voice heavy with disappointment.

My brow furrowed. I cut in front of her suddenly to halt her in her tracks.

"Listen to me," I meowed seriously, gazing deeply into her eyes. "You've been a great mentor to me and I've loved every heartbeat I've spent with you, but now it's time for you to head down a new path. Don't be sad because of it. Don't regret your kits. You are going to be a wonderful mother."

Cherrytail blinked at me, silent. Then, slowly, she walked over to bury her nose in my shoulder.

"When did you become so wise, my little apprentice," she meowed into my shoulder fur.

I purred, but a sudden spark of sadness kindled in me.

 _I'll miss training with her. She's my mentor and friend._

"I've learned from the best," I said around the lump in my throat.

Cherrytail looked up at me.

"One day, you will a great warrior, Lightningpaw," she meowed solemnly.

I blinked in startled silence, floored by the compliment.

"T—thank you," I managed to reply.

Cherrytail simply purred, and we continued back to camp

Leafstar bounded up to us when we reached the camp.

"Hello," I purred, greeting my mother warmly.

"Lightningpaw," Leafstar purred in reply.

"Has Cherrytail told you the news?"

"Yes," Cherrytail replied for me.

"Have you found me a new mentor?" I asked my mother.

"Yes," she replied. "Although, you won't need one for long. Within a moon you will take your final assessment."

I purred with delight. My mother looked at me, eyes shining with pride.

"But, for now, Wolfshade will be your mentor," Leafstar mewed.

I froze, then blinked, not sure if I heard her correctly.

 _Wolfshade?_

I opened my mouth, and then closed it again, feeling anxiety twist at my stomach. Out of all he cats in the Clan, why him? I mean, well there was a part of me that purred with delight to be spend more time with him... But, this was not the way I wanted this time to be spent. I didn't want it to be the forced, proper relationship between mentor and apprentice.

Leafstar must have noticed my conflicted expression, but she misread the thoughts that whirled in my head.

"Wolfshade might be a bit difficult to get to know, but he's a fine young warrior, highly skilled in combat too," she meowed.

 _Like I didn't know that,_ I thought drily with an almost amused snort.

"Is that alright with you?" Leafstar prompted, still looking for a response.

"Yes. Fine," I said, giving a shake to snap myself out of it.

I stiffly padded after Leafstar deeper into camp. I spotted Wolfshade by the base of Rockpile, and he came bounding over to us when Leafstar gave him a nod.

I came to an awkward stop when I halted my gait too quickly. I shifted my stance uncomfortably, suddenly uncertain about what to do with my paws.

 _Do what you always do with your paws, mouse-brain,_ I berated myself.

All of a sudden, I just didn't know how to act in front of Wolfshade. As he padded up to me, Leafstar, and Cherrytail, I studied him, trying to remember the last time I had a conversation with him.

It was a several sunrise ago. We were on a hunting patrol together and he was trying to convince me that rabbit was the best tasting prey, better than even a thrush, which is my favorite. I was having none of it. Rabbit is really great, but thrush wins every time.

"Hey," I meowed to Wolfshade, giving him a nod.

"Hello," he replied.

 _Has he's noticed my behavior? Does he know I'm acting weird?_

"Cherrytail will be moving to the nursery today, so you'll be taking on mentoring Lightningpaw from now on," Leafstar meowed.

"I'd be happy to," Wolfshade meowed in reply, sounding very formal.

He glanced at me, and I immediately looked away.

 _We'll if he didn't think you were acting weird before, he must sure think it now. Nice going._

"I've been looking forward to having an apprentice," Wolfshade said, turning away from me to look at Leafstar.

I clenched my jaw, bubbling with silent frustration.

 _Well,_ ** _he's_** _the weird one, not me. He'll playfully argue with me about what the best prey is, then act like this. Like he barely knows me, like I'm only some apprentice._

I closed my eyes briefly.

 _I don't want to just be some apprentice to him._

I opened my eyes again, and I flickered my gaze up to Wolfshade when I noticed him looking at me.

"I look forward to training with you," he meowed.

I dipped my head.

"Likewise," I said cooly.


	19. Chapter 18: Tension

Wolfshade and I padded side by side in silence through the trees. But, it wasn't the comfortable silence that once hung between us. This one was charged with unspoken words, misunderstanding, and misdirected frustration. And, admittedly, most of those feelings were on my part.

It had been several sunrises since Wolfshade was assigned to be my new mentor, and things hadn't gotten any easier since then. I hardly spoke to him on patrol, while we used to chat constantly when we were assigned to the same patrol before. Now I only replied to him when he asked me a direct question. And, when he told me to do something, I just silently and sullenly went about it, glaring at the ground all the while. Wolfshade noticed and would glare at me all the while I did this, tail-tip twitching, but he wouldn't say anything else.

Today we were on an early morning hunt. Ravenfur and Clovertail were also a part of our patrol, but we had split off from them a little while back to cover more ground, leaving just Wolfshade and I alone in the forest. The air between Wolfshade and I was heavy with tension and awkwardness, feeling as thick as the air before a thunderstorm in green-leaf. I sighed softly to myself, wishing dearly that our companions hadn't left us.

"You're acting weird," Wolfshade meowed suddenly, breaking the silence between us, but not defusing any of the tension in the air.

"I'm not," I replied almost immediately.

"You've hardly said two words to me in days," he said in his deep mew, eyeing me out of the corner of his eyes.

"Well, you haven't been that talkative yourself," I pointed out, meeting his gaze for a moment before stubbornly turning my eyes forward again.

Wolfshade opened his mouth like he wanted to say something in reply to that, but then he just closed it again, brow furrowing.

I yawned widely as we continued to walk along.

"Tired?" Wolfshade commented.

My ear twitched in his direction, but I didn't waste the effort to turn my head to look at him.

"I don't sleep much or well usually," I muttered.

"Oh… I'm sorry," Wolfshade meowed.

For a moment I felt a spark of warmth towards him unfurl in my chest at the empathy, but I bottled it up and pushed it aside, clenching my jaw stubbornly against the feeling.

I took a breath, pulling the air into my mouth. The scents of the forest soothed my troubled mind with their familiar smells, and also provided a welcome distraction from Wolfshade. The faint scent of finch drifted into my mouth. I turned my face towards the scent, pricking my ears as I tried to decipher where it was coming from exactly. Wolfshade recognized the look of quiet concentration on my face. He scented the air, but seemed to not catch the scent of prey, since he just turned to gaze at me, waiting.

 _I'm good at tracking scents,_ I thought smugly. _Better than him._

I felt a small surge of bitter happiness at the thought.

 _You shouldn't feel superior to your clan mates!_ I scolded myself, suddenly feeling a prickle of guilt.

Having better located the direction the scent was coming from, I pushed those thoughts away.

Without a word, I turned aside from Wolfshade and padded into the trees after the scent of finch. Wolfshade followed me for a short while, but then he trotted forward to my side, mouth half open, and I knew he caught the scent. As we grew closer, I bent down to creep through the undergrowth. I spotted the bird, pecking at ground by a patch of bracken.

Wolfshade nodded towards the finch.

"Let's see how well you hunt," Wolfshade meowed, his voice a soft breath in my ear.

"You know I hunt well," I spat back defensively, the fur on the back of my neck bristly, but I kept my voice below a whisper.

Wolfshade looked taken aback.

"That's not what I meant," he began, curling his lip back slightly in the face of the hostility of my reaction.

I didn't wait for him to explain himself.

I brushed forward, towards the bird, body low, paws silent on the leaf-littered ground. I crept closer, eyes trained with unwavering focus on the finch, and my mouth watering as I began to imagine the sweet taste of its meat in my mouth. I crouched behind a patch of ferns, waiting a heartbeat as I readied myself for the quick dash forward and then the pounce.

A soft breeze had been blowing towards my face, bringing with it the scent of the finch, but without warning, the wind dramatically shifted, rushing up from behind me, carrying my scent straight to the bird, and flattening the ferns in front of me that had hid me from it's sight.

The finch, seeing me plainly, raised its wings to take to the air with a sharp alarm call.

"Mouse-dung!" I shrieked, paws already springing forward.

 _No way I'm losing this bird!_

The finch started to fly, but I leapt, using all the power in my hind-legs to spring several fox-lengths into the air. The finch dipped and dodged, so I twisted dramatically, whipping myself around so I could hook my claws into its feathers, snagging it towards me.

"Oomph!"

I had managed to get my paws back under me, but I landed a bit hard. Still, wasting no time, I bent down and quickly snapped the stunned finch's neck. I raised my head as Wolfshade brushed through the bushes towards me.

"Not the neatest kill," he commented.

I bristled even though his voice was carefully neutral, holding no trace of malice.

"I don't control the wind, Wolfshade," I meowed scathingly.

"You could have sprung more quickly before the wind changed instead of hesitating behind the ferns," he pointed out.

 _I know that._

Glowering at him, I snatched up the bird in my mouth and walked away with it rather than admit that he was right.

Wolfshade looked equal parts confused and annoyed by my reaction.

"Fine. Whatever," I heard him mutter to himself.

I padded away, still carrying the finch. I dropped it by a bramble bush and scraped some dirt over it before turning aside and walking away again.

"Come on, the prey around here will have heard the bird's alarm call and be gone," I growled at Wolfshade over my shoulder before turning forward again.

I heard Wolfshade's soft footsteps as he padded after me, and I smelt the irritation sparking off of his pelt.

We had a good haul of prey when we padded back into camp. I was pleased that all of my other catches beside the finch had gone smoothly so Wolfshade could see that I was a proficient hunter.

I walked over to the fresh-kill pile where I dropped my prey. Wolfshade silently followed me there, and he placed his prey next to mine.

"Are we doing any other training today?" I meowed suddenly.

Wolfshade glanced up at me in surprise, he was probably caught off guard since I hadn't bothered to talk to him for the rest of our hunt.

"No. We're done for now," he meowed.

I dipped my head to him briskly before turning and padding away, leaving him by the fresh-kill pile. I was weaving around a sandy-red boulder, heading for a secluded corner of camp to take a nap when my stomach suddenly growled. I sighed, taking a moment to debate between sleep and food. Hunger won out and I turned around to return to the fresh-kill pile. As I was turning around the edge of the boulder, my ears pricked when I heard my name.

"How's your training with Lightningpaw going?"

It was Egg's voice.

I edged forward to peer around the boulder. Wolfshade was still by the fresh-kill pile, and Egg had come over to talk with him. Wolfshade hesitated at the question as Egg pawed a mouse out for himself from the fresh-kill. For I heartbeat, I thought Wolfshade might not bother to reply to his friend.

"…Well?" the cream colored tom meowed as the silence stretched on.

"…Lightningpaw is a difficult apprentice," Wolfshade admitted.

I fluffed my fur out defensively at his comment, a part of me wanting to charge over there and defend myself.

"What do you mean?" Egg meowed, tilting his head at Wolfshade. "She's fast and smart and a great tracker. Training her should be a breeze."

 _Thank you, Egg._

"Maybe it would if she would let me train her," Wolfshade replied. "Every time I open my mouth, she makes a face at me like I just stepped on her tail."

Egg snorted with amusement.

"Oh, is that it?" he meowed.

"What do you mean?" Wolfshade meowed, his dark fur prickling.

"She doesn't like you bossing her around," Egg meowed.

"I'm not bossy," Wolfshade rumbled, furrowing his brow.

"I didn't say that," Egg pointed out.

"Then what are you meowing on about?" Wolfshade asked, sounding slightly exasperated.

"Can you really not tell?" Egg meowed, widening his eyes at Wolfshade in surprise.

Wolfshade shook his head.

"Then, you're an even bigger mouse-brain than I thought," Egg teased.

" _What_ _are you saying_?" Wolfshade rumbled, starting to look annoyed.

"She's your friend. You should be asking her what's wrong," Egg meowed, growing more serious.

"I've tried," Wolfshade replied.

"Give it more time," Egg meowed, amusement returning to his blue eyes. "Or get your head out of the ground, so you can see it for yourself."

I frowned slightly at Egg's words.

Egg padded away with his mouse to eat next to Sagewhisker. Wolfshade hesitated by the fresh-kill pile for a moment before turning towards the warrior's den. I waited until his dark form disappeared into the cave before heading to the pile to grab some prey for myself, thoughts about their conversation quietly whirling in my head.


	20. Chapter 19: Confessions

I followed Wolfshade out of camp for some battle training. It was the first time I've ever done any battle training with him, but I felt no anxiety to impress him. Only annoyance.

I twitched my tail as I gazed at his broad grey back, irritation biting at me. Wolfshade seemed to have taken Egg's advice to heart and had become annoyingly persistent with finding out why I had been behaving so strangely around him.

Sometimes he would take to being very distant, hardly speaking to me or looking at me for ages, instead only brooding in sullen silence. But, then he would abruptly turn to me and ask a prodding question about what was amiss. I always gave unsatisfactory answers in reply, causing him to fall back into distant silence, and then the process repeated itself again. It had been going on for days and days now.

A small part of me whispered that I was behaving irrationally by holding this grudge against him, when I knew he wasn't to blame for being my mentor. Really, I should be mad at Leafstar. But, I just couldn't seem to be able to get over it. His constant nagging wasn't helping me to forgive and forget either.

"Are you mad at me for some reason?" Wolfshade asked, as if on cue, glancing at me over his shoulder as we padded through the trees.

"No," I lied automatically, saying the same thing I've been saying for sunrises.

Wolfshade glared at me, unamused with my stubbornness and this pointless, circular game I was playing, but he said nothing. I saw his shoulders tense in annoyance as he turned his head back around.

He led me into the mossy training clearing.

"Alright. Let's see what you've learned," he meowed briskly, turning to me, tail swishing.

"Ready?" I snapped curtly, trying to stop my pelt from prickling.

I tensed my legs and half crouched. Wolfshade's face wrinkled.

"'Course," he meowed, narrowing his eyes.

Immediately, I launched myself at him like the lightning strike of a coiled snake.

He ducked my attack, but I pivoted on my toes, landing an sheathed swipe across his ears. He lunged forward, and I danced back. Realizing I was faster than him, I barraged his sides by lightly battering his shoulders with my paws. I wasn't even using real battle moves, I was just toying with him, prickling at his fur and springing back before he could stop me. I felt a strange sense of satisfaction at the growing frustration in his eyes.

"Knock it off," he growled, leaping to try to grab me.

I dodged and took the opportunity of his unfocused lunge to bring my paw slamming down on his head. I tried to get back out of the way, but he flashed out a paw, grabbed my shoulder fur, and forced me to the ground.

"What's going on? What did I do?" He hissed down at me, heavy paws shoving my side into the ground as I writhed under him.

"Nothing!" I spat up at him, pinning my ears flat to my head.

Wolfshade let out a growl of frustration.

Then, I violently twisted, exposing my soft belly in a risky move, but slammed my hind paws into his belly with all of the force my powerful hind legs could muster. It was the same move I had used all those moons ago on Nightpaw, and it was just as effective on Wolfshade. His grip loosened as his breath was forced from his lungs from my strike, and, wasting no time, I wiggled out of his paws. Wheezing for breath, Wolfshade stumbled a step back, watching me warily. My pelt prickled with satisfaction.

"Is that all you've got?" I snarled.

He narrowed his eyes at me. Then, heaving in a huge breath, he sprung forward with renewed ferocity. His large, fluffy paws swiped at my head in unforgiving cuffs. Panting, I ducked and dodged, but I could barely stay ahead of his strikes. I lost my balance as my feet stubbed against the ground, and I tripped over my own paws. He swung at my head while I stumbled, defenseless. My heart pounded as I watched the paw fall out of the corner of my vision. I closed my eyes against the impact. The hard strike knocked me off of my feet, whipped my head to the side, and sent me crashing to the ground head first. I felt my head strike something hard on the ground.

Ears ringing, I blinked as my vision danced in and out of focus. My head pulsed and throbbed with sharp pain that made me whimper as I curled limply on the ground. A distraught face with agitated, wide grey-green eyes drifted into focus through my squinted gaze.

"Lightningpaw! Lightningpaw!" I heard my name being frantically called and felt a soft muzzle nudging my face.

I moaned, cracking my eyes open.

"Thank StarClan," Wolfshade gasped, relief making his voice raw.

His rough tongue rasped over my face. My anger towards him gone, I rumbled a shaky purr at the sudden displace of affection. I felt drained and empty at the sudden lack of bubbling frustration. Gathering my paws under me, I pushed myself to my feet, blinking hard against the pain in my head. I swayed on my paws for a moment before a steadying shoulder pressed to my side. I leaned gratefully against Wolfshade as his muzzle pressed into my cheek. Closing my eyes, I managed to enjoy the press of his face against mine despite the pain.

"I think there was a rock," I meowed with my eyes still shut.

I flickered them open, blinking hard as I watched Wolfshade viciously kick the rock I hit my head on out of the mossy clearing.

"Holy StarClan Lightningpaw, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" Wolfshade breathed, turning back to me.

"Yeah. I just need a minute," I muttered, trying to fight through the throbbing in my skull.

"Are you sure? Let me take you back to camp," he murmured.

I nodded slowly, deciding that would probably be best.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered again, sounding despondent as he pressed himself even closer to me.

On unsteady paws, I let him guide me out of the clearing. The journey back to camp seemed to take moons; putting one paw in front of the other was extremely difficult when the world wouldn't stop spinning around me.

Eventually, we stumbled into camp. By then, my vision had settled, but my legs still felt shaky and my head pounded like there was a monster roaring behind my eyes.

Leafstar spotted me from across the camp. She stopped her conversation with Sharpclaw and shot over to me immediately like she had when I was a kit and tumbled off of Rockpile.

"Lightningpaw!" Leafstar meowed, pressing herself to my free side.

"What happened? Are you okay?" She demanded.

"I'm fine," I blinked hard. "I've only hit my head."

"I'm taking her to Echosong," Wolfshade muttered.

He couldn't meet my mother's eyes, and his pelt prickled with guilt. But Leafstar seemed to not notice. She nodded and helped him guide me to the medicine cat's den.

"Echosong!" Leafstar called as we stumbled into the dim cave.

A small, grey tabby head peaked out from the back of the den.

"Leafstar? What happened?" She asked, bounding over to me.

"It's her head," Leafstar meowed.

"Sit here," Echosong ordered me gently, guiding me to a nest.

I sunk gratefully down in the moss. I was suddenly very tired.

Echosong began to examine my head.

"Keep your eyes open," she said, flicking her tail lightly across my nose as my eyes started to drift shut.

I jerked awake.

"You can't sleep when you have a head wound," she warned.

Her paw lightly brushed a tender bump on my head. I winced.

"Is this where it hurts?" She mewed.

"Yes," I admitted.

"What happened?" Echosong prompted.

Wolfshade's tail lashed in self directed anger.

"We were training—" he began, voice heavy with guilt and anguish.

"When I tripped and fell, hitting my head on a rock hidden under the moss at the edge of the practice clearing," I said, interrupting him.

Wolfshade's eyes stretched wide when he realized that I omitted the part with him hitting me to the ground.

"My poor kit," Leafstar murmured, licking my shoulder comfortingly.

"But, I'm fine," I insisted, with a glance up at Leafstar. "And Wolfshade already got rid of the rock so no other cat would hit his head."

"Good," Leafstar purred, with an approving glance at Wolfshade.

Stiff and awkward, Wolfshade bowed his head, casting me a swift look.

"But, I'll have the clearing checked so nothing like this happens again," Leafstar continued.

Leafstar licked my shoulder one more time, then with a dip her head to Echosong, left the den. Echosong continued to closely examine my head, while Wolfshade hovered awkwardly in the corner. Echosong had me follow her tail tip with my eyes and she checked my reflexes and the size of my pupils.

"How old are you?" She asked.

I blinked in surprise at the random question.

"Er… Nearly 12 moons," I answered.

"Good," she said, pleased for whatever reason at my answer.

Then Echosong turned to Wolfshade.

"Are you just going to stand there all day, or is there something that you want?" Echosong asked him teasingly.

Wolfshade's fur fluffed with embarrassment.

"No," he mumbled, casting me a burning glance filled with unspoken questions and backing out of the den.

I twitched my whiskers, half amused at his torment and half apologetic that I was the one that is causing it.

Echosong looked back down at me.

"You seem fine. No memory loss, good reflexes, just a big bump on the head," she meowed.

"But, I'd like to keep you here for the rest of the day, so I can make sure no new symptoms develop. I'd give you a poppyseed for the pain, but it would make you tired and I can't have you sleeping yet."

She blinked apologetically.

I gazed up at the medicine cat, realizing that this was probably the longest conversation I've had with her. It seemed to me that she tended to avoid me when I was younger, so I never got to know her.

 _I wonder if she blamed me for Frecklewish's death._

"Alright. I'll lie here all day if I must," I meowed drily, with an overly exaggerated sigh.

Echosong purred, flicking her tail in amusement.

"Here," she said, grabbing some herb from a crack in the cave wall and pushing it towards my muzzle.

"It'll help reduce the swelling," she mewed.

I lapped it up obediently, curling my lip at its bitter taste.

"I'll just be checking the herb storage in the back. Yowl if you need me, or if you start feeling worse or strange," Echosong said, before rising to her paws and padding deeper into the cave.

I curled my paws under my chest and settled down in the nest. Not to sleep, but just to get comfortable. My head pounded in almost a rhythmic fashion, but the pain was already less than before, and it wasn't unbearable.

A shadow fell across me as a cat stood in the entrance to the den. I looked up to see Wolfshade standing there, a thrush in his mouth. After glancing towards the back of the cave to make sure Echosong wasn't watching, he padded in, dropping the bird in front of me.

"Here," he muttered. "I know you haven't eaten all day."

"Thank you," I mewed, looking down at the bird and wondering if Wolfshade remembered that it was my favorite, or if him bringing it was just unintentional.

He crouched down next to me, and cleared his throat lightly.

"It wasn't just a trip. Why did you lie?" He murmured, so Echosong couldn't hear him.

I scuffled my paws, gazing down at them to avoid his eyes.

"It was an accident, and I didn't want you to get in trouble," I whispered.

He twitched his tail, flattening his ears and casting his gaze away.

"Why? You don't want me to be your mentor anyway," he muttered, his voice rough with bitterness.

Upset, I flattened my ears. I brushed my tail over his side, making him look up at me, meeting our gazes.

"That's not true. And, I'm sorry, Wolfshade," I whispered. "This was all my fault anyway. I shouldn't have riled you up like that while we were practice fighting. You were right, I've been angry with you."

"That doesn't change the fact that I hit you so hard," he growled, lashing his dark grey tail.

"What if I really hurt you? What would I have done then?" he demanded, green eyes flashing with anguish.

I reached a tabby paw out to rest it on his dark grey one.

"But, that didn't happen. We were practice _fighting_ , for StarClan's sake, sometimes cats will get a bit hurt and sore. But, I know you would never want to hurt me," I said.

He sighed, dropping his head and flattening his ears.

"Maybe I should tell Leafstar that I'm not cut out to be your mentor," he muttered.

"No, don't!" I protested.

He glanced up, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Why not? We used to be friends, and now you haven't been able to look me in the eye for days! Ever since I became your mentor," he meowed angrily.

His gaze flickered away.

"And, I hurt you…" he meowed softly. "Mentors don't hurt their apprentices."

"The rock hurt me," I pointed out.

"You've been angry with me because I'm your mentor," he growled, eyes flickering back up.

My tail twitched, fur heating. I glanced down at our touching paws because I was unable to meet his eyes.

"I wasn't angry with you because I thought you would be a bad mentor. You're fantastic at hunting and fighting and any cat would be completely mouse-brained to _not_ want you to teach them..."

My voice trailed off, and Wolfshade waited in silence for me to continue.

"And, I'm happy we get to spend more time together. Because you _are_ still my friend, although I know I haven't been acting like it," I snorted softly with amusement. "It's just that…"

I hesitated, shifting uncomfortably.

"I've been having trouble adjusting to having you as my mentor. I didn't want you to be my mentor because I don't want to _see_ you as a mentor..." I muttered.

My voice trailed off as the words that I really wanted to confess got stuck in my throat.

 _Because I have feelings for you._

I glanced back up at him.

"Do you understand?" I asked, my gaze searching his, part of me hopeful and part of me terrified by what I was asking and by the strength of my feelings.

He blinked.

"I think so," he replied, but said nothing else.

For one heartbeat that felt like eternity, we just gazed at each other.

"Lightningpaw…" Wolfshade began slowly, voice low, eyes flicking away. "I know this wasn't all you. I've been distant too and it's becau—"

"You're back again!" Echosong teased Wolfshade, interrupting him as she walked over from the back of the den and over to us while we were distracted.

Quickly, I pulled my paw from Wolfshade's.

"I was just bringing her some prey," Wolfshade muttered, tucking his paws under his chest and dipping his head to the medicine cat.

Echosong gazed at us with a look that I couldn't quite read in her blue eyes.

"Well, since it seems like you're tied at the tail to your apprentice, you might as well make yourself useful and make sure Lightningpaw doesn't fall asleep," she mewed, her tone slightly teasing.

Both Wolfshade's and my fur flushed with heat at her teasing, but we dipped our heads to her again as she padded back away. I moved over in the large nest, making room for Wolfshade in it so he didn't have to crouch on the stone floor. He accepted my wordless invitation and settled on the nest next to me, but tension still crackled between us like a storm in green-leaf.

"You know, now that I'm not supposed to sleep, I can barely keep my eyes open," I said in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

"I guess we've found the cure to your insomnia. Someone just has to tell you not to sleep," Wolfshade joked.

We purred, the tension melting between us like ice on a warm day.

"Are you going to eat that?" he asked, angling his ears at the prey he brought me.

"Yeah, I will," I said, bending my nose to sniff it.

"Have you eaten yet? Do you want to share?" I asked.

He looked uncertain, like he didn't want to take any prey from me. I bent my head, took a bite, then shoved it towards him. He cast me an amused glance from narrowed eyes, well aware of my stubbornness. But, he obediently took a bite of the bird, before lifting his head and looking to me expectantly. I leaned over and tucked into the prey; hunger suddenly triggered from the first bite of food. He bent his head by mine and we shared the last of the prey, whiskers brushing. Swiping my tongue over my lips, I reclined back. With my stomach contentedly full, I wanted nothing more than to lean against Wolfshade's side, close my eyes and escape the pounding of my head in blissful sleep, but I knew that couldn't happen.

"You better talk to me or I'll be asleep in two heartbeats," I warned.

"What do you want to talk about?" he purred.

"I don't know. Tell me something about you," I meowed.

"Like what?" Wolfshade asked hesitantly, eyes flashing a bit warily.

I twitched my ears.

"What was it like growing up with Bouncefire and Tinycloud? How did you get that nick in your left ear? At what age exactly did you become so prickly?" I purred.

"Hey, who are you calling prickly?" he playfully growled, the guarded look in his green eyes vanishing to be replaced by shimmering warmth.

"Please, you're so prickly I'm surprised Leafstar didn't name you Wolfspike," I teased, in a mockingly serious tone.

A loud purr burst from Wolfshade.

"Oh, put a mouse in it" he grumbled good naturedly, swatting a piece of moss at my nose.

I flicked the moss off of my muzzle and, in retaliation, bent my head to pick up a large mouthful of moss, which I tossed at him. Wolfshade sprung to his paws, shaking bits of the nest from his shoulder fur, his eyes alight with excitement. I followed him to my feet, but I had forgotten about my head.

My injury made itself know through a bought of dizziness, causing me to stumble. Immediately, Wolfshade was at my side, lowering me back down to the now disheveled nest.

"Sorry. I forgot," I meowed, blinking hard through my spinning vision.

"My StarClan, I can't believe you two, jumping around like a pair of kits!" Echosong snapped, coming back over to check on me.

I blinked guiltily at the medicine cat while Wolfshade cast his gaze down in embarrassment.

Echosong's gaze softened.

"She can't leap around like this. If Lightningpaw is capable of sitting still with you here, then you can stay. Otherwise, Lightningpaw needs to rest," Echosong meowed to Wolfshade.

"I'm sorry," I meowed.

"No, I started it," Wolfshade muttered. "I can go."

I wanted to protest, the word _stay_ hovering on the tip of my tongue. But, Wolfshade just cast me a glance and padded out.


	21. Chapter 20: Baby Steps

It was a long leaf-bare this season, and even as new-leaf attempted to appear, it was continuously pushed back by leaf-bare's long claws.

As the sunrises passed on my training, Wolfshade and I began to heal our relationship. It was good to have him back as my friend. But, there was still a certain amount of tension between us. Something had changed.

We had not talked about the words that were said, or not said, that day in the medicine cat's den. But, they still charged the air between us. I could feel the words when our pelts brushed, and my fur flushed with heat at the touch. Or, when I turned and caught him staring at me with his intense green eyes from across the camp.

Yes, those confessions were still there.

I was curled up in the apprentices den, lightly asleep when I felt a soft paw on my shoulder.

My eyes flickered open, and I looked up to see Wolfshade blinking down at me.

"Hey," I meowed with a yawn.

I stretched my forepaws out in front of me before straightening.

"Is it time for training already?" I meowed, peering over his shoulder to look at the sky.

The sky was barely lightening; it looked like it was a little before dawn.

"No," Wolfshade replied with a purr.

"Then what's going on?" I meowed, tilting my head at him inquisitively.

Nightpaw let out a pointed sigh in his nest next to me, and curled up tighter, tucking his nose under his tail.

"Sorry," I meowed to Nightpaw, lowering my voice.

"It's Cherrytail. She had her kits last night, and she was asking for you to come see them before we started training today," Wolfshade purred.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" I meowed, my voice hushed but vibrating with excitement as I leapt out of my nest, brushed past Wolfshade, and dashed out of the den.

The paths on the sides of the sandy cliffs were still wreathed in shadows, but my paws were certain on the trails as I scaled the cliff towards the nursery. Wolfshade was behind me as I approached the entrance to the nursery, where I hesitated for a heartbeat.

"I can smell you hanging around out there, Lightningpaw. Come on in," Cherrytail's teasing voice called from inside the nursery.

I gave a soft purr at my former mentor's playful tone, and I padded inside the den, leaving Wolfshade waiting outside.

I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the low light of the den. I slowly made my way towards the back of the nursery, where Cherrytail lay with Sharpclaw curled around her. Sharpclaw's massive ginger form looked dramatically out of place in the nursery to me, but when he saw me approach, he looked up with fierce pride and love in his clear green eyes.

"Hello, Lightningpaw. Have you come to see our kits?" Sharpclaw meowed, chest puffing in pride as he looked back down at his mate and children.

"Yes. How are they?" I asked as I padded closer, a bit of concern creeping into my voice as I remembered how difficult birthing can be for both queens and their kits. "How are you, Cherrytail? Did everything go okay? How many— Oh!"

I was cut off as Cherrytail moved her tail, revealing three beautiful kits at her white belly.

"Wow! They're perfect!" I purred, blinking down at the tiny kittens.

Sharpclaw purred loudly, and Cherrytail blinked happily up at me at my words.

"What are their names?" I asked.

"This one is Adderkit," Cherrytail meowed softly, stroking her tail over a large, dappled, dark ginger male kit.

"And, he's Ripplekit," Cherrytail purred, touching her second kit, a grey tabby kit with one white forepaw.

Ripplekit wiggled with a soft squeak when his mother brushed her tail over him, revealing a flare of white on his chest.

I purred at the little kit-noise.

Cherrytail brushed her tail over her last kit— a white she-cat with two dark ginger patches on her back, one dark ginger ear, one dark ginger hind paw, and fluffy, downy fur.

"And, she's Owlkit," Cherrytail meowed.

"The patches on her back kind of look like wings!" I purred.

Cherrytail purred back at me in reply, tearing her gaze away from her kits for a moment to blink up at me.

"You two chose lovely names," I purred. "And, the kits look so strong and healthy too."

"We got very lucky with that, considering that we had such a long and hard leaf-bare this season," a voice meowed from behind me.

I turned to see Echosong enter the den, carrying a bundle of herbs in her mouth.

"So, we have to be careful to make sure that the kits and their mother stay strong and healthy," she meowed, dropping the herbs in front of Cherrytail. "Which means that you need to eat these."

Cherrytail bent her head and lapped the herbs up without protest, but she wrinkled her nose as she swallowed.

"And, that also means that Cherrytail needs her rest," Echosong meowed, turning to me.

I dipped my head to the medicine cat.

"I understand. I promise to visit later Cherrytail!" I meowed with a wave of goodbye with my tail as I padded out of the den.

The camp now glowed in the rosy light of dawn as the sun peeked its golden head up in the East. Mist rose up from the stream, twining its way around Rockpile and into the almost empty camp. The mist reflected milky white in the light, and it swirled over the orange-red sand in a beautiful, but dream-like sort of way. I spotted Wolfshade seated by the Rockpile, looking out over the misty stream. His dark form starkly cut through the white mist like the shadow of a bird's wing under the sun.

I bounded down the cliff and padded over to him through the mist.

Wolfshade turned to look at me as I approached him, his sharp green eyes cutting cleanly through the mist as he gave me a soft purr of greeting.

"Did you see the kits?" I asked Wolfshade as I sat down next to him.

Wolfshade's gaze flickered away from mine, and he shifted a bit uncomfortably.

"Only briefly. I never know what to do around kits. They're so tiny. I'm always afraid that I'm going to step on them or something," he admitted, looking down at his big paws.

I let out an soft purr of affection at the concern that furrowed his brow.

Wolfshade looked up at me with a jolt, and then he fluffed his fur out in embarrassment. He looked like he might wish he could take his words back.

"Er—Nevermind that," Wolfshade meowed quickly to cover his earlier words, as he leapt to his paws. "We've got training to do."

And, with that, he turned tail and dashed through the fog and out of camp. I followed him to my paws, and I sprinted after him, heading into the misty forest.

*****Author's note: Please be patient with me as I'm trying to put these chapters out! My computer broke last week, and it's fixed now, but I lost like 15 pages of this story! I'm having to rewrite those chapters, and re-edit them, and that along with school work has put me really behind :( I promise I'm trying my best to keep up with posting them!*****


	22. Chapter 21: Trespassers

Wolfshade and I ran through the trees, tearing through SkyClan's territory. As the sun rose higher in the sky, the fog began to burn off, and the forest grew brighter. Wolfshade slowed as we padded into a clearing, slipping easily through yellow grass fronds that brushed his shoulders.

He came to a stop in the clearing, turning back to me.

"You'll be taking your final assessment today," he meowed. "If everything goes well, your mother should be make you a warrior in a couple of sunrises at most."

I purred, tail curling up in delight.

"The assessment is a solo hunt," he continued. "I expect you will use the hunting techniques you've learned throughout your training. And, remember, I'll be watching your progress, even though you won't be able to tell I'm there."

"Oh please, Wolfshade," I purred, eyes glinting. "You know, you'd have to be pretty far away from me for me to catch no whiff of your scent at all."

Wolfshade's brow furrowed.

"I—I," Wolfshade sputtered, eyes widening slightly as he realized the truth in my words.

He'd must have forgotten how good of a tracker I was.

I purred at the startled look on his face.

"Don't worry," I teased, rising to my paws and lightly flicking my tail on his shoulder. "I'll be sure to impress you."

With that, I dashed away into the trees, tearing up the ground with long loping strides up. I slowed to a trot as I made my way farther into the forest, breathing deeply in the sweet, faint twinge of new-leaf in the air. My ears were pricked for the sounds of prey, but it was my nose that caught whiff of its presence first. Squirrel scent drifted in faintly on the breeze. I turned towards the scent, falling into my hunter's crouch with ease that came from moons of practice. I crept forward, ears jutted ahead. Scuffling noises caught my attention, and my ears swiveled towards the sound. Slipping around a fern, I saw the squirrel rustling in the fallen leaves under a sycamore tree.

 _Is Wolfshade watching?_

I scented the air again, but didn't catch his scent.

 _Where is he? Shouldn't he be close?_

I felt my thoughts starting to drift towards the grey tom.

 _Focus on the hunt,_ I reminded myself, giving my head a small shake.

I locked my gaze on the still-oblivious squirrel, excitement jolting through me as I started my quick flash forward, paws flying swiftly and silently across the ground. The squirrel's ears swiveled towards me, but before it could even turn to look, I had sprung, locking my jaws on the squirrel's neck. I clamped my teeth shut, severing its spine in a quick killing bite. The prey went limp in my jaws, dead without even knowing what killed it.

 _Thank you StarClan for this prey. And, for such a clean kill._

I gave the breeze another sniff, hoping again to catch Wolfshade's mint-pine scent, but I couldn't scent much past the squirrel fur in my mouth. I padded over to a nearby bush and scraped some dirt over my catch before heading off in search of more prey. I padded through the trees, all senses alert for prey. But, besides the calling of a few song birds in the highest branches of trees, far out of reach, there was no sign of prey.

 _I remember that there was some prey scent back in that small meadow, where I left Wolfshade._

Having no luck under the trees, I turned away from the fringes of our borders, padding back toward the center of SkyClan territory. I tasted the air as I crept forward, recognizing the musty scent of rabbit.

I hesitated at the border of the trees, the meadow stretching out in front of me. I crouched in the shadows of the bushes, seeing a flicker of brown fur in the swaying golden grass. The rabbit hopped along slowly in the meadow, grazing as it moved. My eyes swept the meadow, searching for cover to begin my approach. It looked difficult, close to impossible, to sneak up on it without it seeing me coming. I eyed the grazing rabbit, looking at its long legs. I didn't think I was fast enough to out-sprint it either if I tried just to dash at it and tossed out the option of stalking entirely. My gaze flickered up. A large, twisted oak tree at the border of the meadow had a branch that snaked out over the open grass. I traced its path with my eyes, seeing it reach out towards the rabbit.

I faded back into the forest, keeping a half of an eye on the rabbit as I crept quietly towards the oak. When I reached its base, the rabbit was still grazing peacefully in the field. I climbed the tree on the backside of the trunk, out of the rabbit's line of sight. Slinking on to the branch, I peeked back down at the rabbit. My heart pounded as I caught no sign of movement in the golden grass.

 _Mousedung! Is it gone?_

But then, there was a flash of fur farther out in the grass. I relaxed, my prey focused in my gaze again. I crept along the branch silently, over the meadow until I was almost directly over the rabbit. Then, wasting no time so the rabbit didn't catch a whiff of my scent, I gathered my legs under me and sprung.

It was a large leap down. My heart pounded in my paws as I stretched them out in front of me and towards the rabbit. But, my fall was silent, and the rabbit didn't look up until I was almost on top of it. The rabbit's round eye went huge, and it jerked forward. But, then my forepaws slammed into its back. My hind legs flexed as I hit the ground securely on my paws. The rabbit twitched violently and let out a scream as the force of the impact of my paws broke it's spine. I quickly stretched my head forward and broke it's neck, cutting the scream short. I raised my head with the rabbit hanging from my jaws.

 _Too bad it saw me, now any prey around here heard the scream and scattered._

I looked down at the rabbit, nevertheless feeling a flash of pride at the size of it and my ingenuity in managing the kill. I dragged the rabbit to the oak tree and scaled it, the rabbit dangling awkwardly from my jaws. I stashed the prey in a nook between a branch and the trunk. I leapt nimbly back down the tree and padded back into the forest, heading towards the border of our territory again.

I scented the breeze as I walked, keeping alert for prey, but it was not prey scent that drifted into my mouth, instead it was the scent of unfamiliar cats. I tensed, turning towards the scent, the fur on my shoulders half bristling.

"Who goes there?" I challenged calmly, my gaze sweeping the undergrowth.

A bramble bush rustled and I locked my gaze on it.

Their pelts were ragged, and their ribs jutted out gauntly, as a ginger rogue and a black-and-white rogue hesitantly crept out of the woods towards me.

I raised my head, looking at them unafraid.

"I remember you," I meowed to the ginger rogue. "Whisper, right? And, you are…?"

"Crash," the black-and-white tom muttered.

"Crash," I repeated, dipping my head in greeting.

"I remember you too," Whisper meowed, her voice just as rasping and jarring as before. "You were on the patrol that talked to us moons ago, although, you've gotten bigger since then."

I nodded.

"That's right. My name's Lightningpaw," I meowed. "You also helped save me from a fox not that long ago."

I nodded my head at Whisper in gratitude.

"I never got to thank you for that," I meowed, before hesitating for a heartbeat, my gaze flickering from Whisper to Crash and back.

"What do you want?" I meowed finally.

Crash and Whisper exchanged a uncertain look.

"Does your offer for prey and shelter still stand?" Whisper meowed hesitantly. "Leaf-bare… leaf-bare was hard on us, and we need help."

Crash glowered at me. I could tell it was difficult for him to admit that.

I paused for a moment.

Did I have the right to extend an invitation of welcome on the behalf of my Clan to these cats?

 _SkyClan welcomes visitors,_ I reminded myself, _And, I owe it to Whisper; she saved my life._

"Of course—" I started to meow when the sound of rustling bushes interrupted me.

Two other cats crept out of the bramble bush from behind Crash and Whisper. There was a skinny white she-cat with green eyes and a tabby tom with a patchy pelt. The white she-cat leaned heavily on the tabby's shoulder as they padded towards me.

"These are our friends," Whisper said.

"I'm Shiver," the white she-cat meowed.

"And, I'm Tattered," the tom meowed.

"I remember you," I meowed to the white-she cat. "You were there with Whisper when the fox attacked me and my clanmates."

"Unfortunately, that wasn't the only time the fox attacked," Shiver grunted, shifting her stance to reveal a long, jagged wound on her shoulder.

The cut looked several sunrises old at least, and it was an unhealthy harsh red color that oozed yellow pus.

I curled my lip, the scent of infection and crow-food hitting me from several fox-lengths away.

"Please, can you help her?" Whisper meowed. "She can't go on much longer without prey and a soft nest to rest in and heal."

"Whisper!" Crash growled. "Are you planning on giving away all of our weaknesses to these cats?"

"Do you want Shiver to die?" Whisper hissed, whirling on him. "Do you want us all to die?"

Crash didn't reply, but I thought I saw a flash of guilt flicker across his face. He clamped his mouth shut, angrily casting his gaze to the ground. Shiver was panting slightly as she leaned on Tattered's shoulder, looking like this argument was taking the last of her strength out of her.

"Please," Whisper meowed again, turning back to me. "You've gotta help Shiver."

"We have a medicine cat," I meowed.

I looked at the weak white she-cat with pity.

"She knows herbs that can heal your infection and help your cut seal," I meowed to her.

"Thank you," Shiver muttered.

"Follow me," I continued, raising my tail and turning in the direction of the camp. "I'll take you to our camp."


	23. Chapter 22: New Clanmates

As I padded away, all the rogues followed, even Crash, although he looked mutinous about it. The rogues looked uncomfortable walking out in the open under the trees; they kept casting nervous glances from side to side. But, I felt completely at ease with the swaying branches above me, and my paws safe and certain in the dirt of SkyClan territory.

In front of me, a shadow detached itself from under a patch of bracken and rose to its paws, padding over to us. Wolfshade appeared from the shadows, blinking as he stepped into the light.

I let out a loud purr of laughter at the sight of him.

His pelt was completely plastered with mud, dirtying his handsome blends of grey with brown and clumping his fur into uncomfortable looking spikes.

"So, _that's_ why I couldn't catch your scent," I meowed through my purrs, trotting over to circle around him.

"That'll be a pain to take off," I teased, my eyes shining as I loudly sniffed, the scent of the mud rushing into my nose.

Wolfshade cast me a look, the tiniest bit of amusement flashing across his face as his whiskers twitched.

The rogues were not nearly as amused at the sight of Wolfshade as I was.

"Is this an ambush?" Crash hissed, fur bristling.

"No," Wolfshade meowed, stepping forward towards the rogues. "Lightningpaw is my apprentice, and you interrupted her hunting assessment."

His eyes flickered to mine.

"Which was going very well, by the way. Wonderful rabbit catch," Wolfshade added in a softer voice, giving me a small nod.

I raised my head, feeling my fur flushing with heat and my stomach flutter at the praise.

 _So, he has been watching me the whole time._

"I'll be joining her in escorting you to our camp," Wolfshade meowed, turning his attention back to the rogues.

He turned around and padded over to the bracken patch were he picked up a squirrel, the same one that I caught earlier, and led the way back to camp. Whisper, Shiver, Tattered, and, after a moment of hesitation, even Crash, began to follow again. I dashed forward to catch up to Wolfshade, matching my pace with his as I walked by his side.

"Was I wrong to invite the rogues back to camp?" I whispered.

"No. You handled the interaction well," Wolfshade meowed back quietly, casting a glance over his shoulder at the mangy line of rogues behind us. "They don't seem to be in very good shape."

"What about my assessment? Will I have to do it again?" I meowed, a quiet note of worry creeping into my voice.

"Lightningpaw, all of SkyClan knows how good of a hunter you are. You passed," Wolfshade purred softly, shooting me a look out of the corner of his eye.

I purred in delight, tail curling up.

"Thank you Wolfshade!" I meowed, leaning over to give his shoulder a swift lick.

Wolfshade's eyes widened almost imperceptibly as his gaze flickered away, and my fur flushed with sudden heat as my brain caught up with my actions. We had just reached the small meadow, and I took this as an opportunity to dash ahead to the oak tree, scaling it quickly to grab my rabbit.

 _Calm down. Act cool. Nothing happened. Not a big deal. Just a friendly lick._ I thought, giving my head a shade as I fastened my jaws on the rabbit.

 _Alright, you good?_

I took a deep breath and forced myself to climb back down the tree with the rabbit in my mouth. I trotted back over to Wolfshade and the rogues, doing my best to look relaxed.

"They have so much prey that it grows on trees here," Tattered meowed dryly, in a deep voice.

"Let's keep going," Wolfshade meowed, ignoring him and nodding towards the trees.

We didn't speak the rest of the way back to camp. I could feel the tension growing from the rogues as they clustered tighter together the deeper in our territory we traveled. I breathed in, catching the sour scent of their anxiety in the air around the scent of the rabbit in my mouth.

The trees started to thin and the ground turned sandy as we padded into the gorge and entered camp. We attracted glances almost immediately. The rogues gathered together in a tight bundle with Shiver in the middle, gazes flickering and pelts prickling.

"Take this to the fresh-kill," Wolfshade meowed, dropping my squirrel at my paws.

He dashed off, stopping for a moment to meow something to Patchfoot. Patchfoot replied and Wolfshade turned, bounding up the cliff and entering Leafstar's den.

I carried the squirrel and the rabbit to the fresh-kill pile, dropping them there before walking back to the rogues. My clanmates had grown curious at their presence and had crept closer. The rogues were completely on edge, looking like any moment they might make a run for it back into the trees.

"It's alright," I meowed to them. "We won't hurt you."

Whisper's gaze met mine, and she gave me a single nod.

Wolfshade appeared in the mouth of the leader's den with Leafstar at his side. Leafstar hesitated for a moment to survey the camp before bounding down the cliff with Wolfshade following. Leafstar made her way through the small group of my gathered clanmates, coming to stand next to me.

"Greetings," Leafstar meowed, dipping her head to the rogues. "My name is Leafstar, leader of SkyClan."

"I am Whisper," Whisper meowed.

"Name's Tattered," Tattered rumbled with a nod.

"I'm Shiver," Shiver said, taking a shaky seat.

"…Crash," Crash growled after a hesitation.

"Wolfshade tells me that he and Lightningpaw found you on our territory and that you seek prey and shelter?" Leafstar meowed.

"And, aid for your wound?" Leafstar added, nodding towards Shiver.

"Yes," Whisper meowed, speaking for all the rogues.

She cast a glance at her companions before turning to Leafstar again.

"But, that's not all we want. We want to join your Clan," Whisper meowed.

Leafstar's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?" she meowed.

"We've seen how you work together. We've been in your territory for some moons now," Whisper confessed. "We think it would be nice to be a part of this group."

A soft murmur rose from my gathered clanmates, but Leafstar began speaking again, and they soon fell silent.

"You may stay with us. Your friend needs help, and our medicine cat, Echosong, will heal her. But, right now you know nothing of our ways besides what you've seen of how we hunt and patrol the forest."

Leafstar hesitated, sweeping her gaze over the rogues.

"But, if joining SkyClan is what you truly want, then we can teach you. You will hunt with us, you will fight for us, and you will train with us. And, when you learn the Warrior Code, the code upon which we build our lives, then you may join us, if that is still what you wish," Leafstar meowed.

"Thank you Leafstar," Whisper meowed, bowing her head to my mother.

"Tinycloud, show Shiver to Echosong's den," Leafstar meowed, nodding at the nearby Tinycloud.

As Tinycloud helped Shiver away, Leafstar turned and bounded up Rockpile.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under Rockpile for a Clan meeting," she yowled.

Any cats that still were in the dens came trickling down the cliffs and onto the sandy ground. I saw Sharpclaw appear from the nursery and come bounding down to sit close to the Rockpile, casting a confused glance at the rogues. Tattered, Whisper, and Crash remained grouped closely together towards the edge of camp, while Wolfshade padded over to take a seat next to me.

"These cats are Whisper, Tattered, and Crash," Leafstar meowed to the Clan.

"And, their friend Shiver is currently being tend to by Echosong in the medicine cat's den, with a shoulder wound. They will be staying with us and participating in hunting and training. And, once that is complete, they will be allowed to join SkyClan, if they wish."

"But, these are the cats that have been hunting in our territory for moons!" Nettlesplash piped up, gesturing his tail angrily at the rogues.

"I know that," Leafstar meowed.

"And, you're just letting them in?" Nettlesplash said in confusion.

"With all due respect, Leafstar, Nettlesplash has a point," Sharpclaw meowed, rising to his paws. "We know nothing about these cats, and you are welcoming them into the camp. There are kits here."

The deputy's green gaze flickered to the nursery where his mate and kits were for a heartbeat before coming back to rest on Leafstar.

"I understand your concerns," Leafstar meowed, dipping her head to Sharpclaw. "But, they have never attacked us. In fact, Whisper and Shiver saved Creampaw, Seedpaw and Lightningpaw from the fox a few moons back. So we will welcome them, as SkyClan welcomes all peaceful visitors and travelers."

There were a few uncertain mumbles from the crowd.

"How do we know that we can trust them?" Nightpaw meowed under his breath from a few tail lengths away from me.

"Because Whisper and Shiver saved me, mousebrain," I meowed, turning to Nightpaw. "They could have let the fox eat me, Creampaw, and Seedpaw, but they didn't."

"Alright, so that means they won't slit all our throats in our sleep," Nightpaw meowed, rolling his eyes. "But, they did steal prey from us, unchecked, for moons. How do you know that they won't clean out our fresh-kill pile? Or steal all our herbs? Or run away during in the middle of a battle?"

 _I wish he didn't have a point._

My brow furrowed, and I opened my mouth to argue back, but I was cut off when Leafstar continued to speak.

"Tattered, Whisper and Crash will be assigned mentors to oversee their training, and Shiver will receive one as well, once her injury has healed. Petalnose you will train Whisper. Ebonyclaw, you are with Tattered. And, Brackenstorm with Crash.

 _Leafstar picked only warriors that have experience living with two-legs. Cats that are all open to strangers joining SkyClan._

I looked around at my clanmates, wondering if anyone else noticed the pattern. Not everyone looked particularly happy, but no one was disagreeing with Leafstar, at least out loud. I turned my head to look at Wolfshade, but the grey tom's face was carefully unreadable.

"Alright, everyone. Return to your duties," Leafstar meowed and bounded off of Rockpile.


	24. Chapter 23: New-leaf, New life

I couldn't sleep again. My eyes flicked open. I'd been lying awake in my nest for half of the night, waiting and waiting for sleep as Nightpaw, Creampaw, and Seedpaw contentedly snored nearby. But, I'd had enough now.

 _I give up._

I let out a quiet, frustrated hiss and pulled myself to my feet, resigned to spending another sleepless night. I rose to my paws, careful not to rouse Nightpaw, whose nest was pressed up tightly against mine. Whisper, Tattered, and Crash were also sleeping in the apprentice den, since they were receiving training like apprentices. Shiver was still in the medicine cats den, but I've heard her cut is already getting better under the care of Echosong. Their nests were against the far wall, so Nightpaw had moved his nest to be as far from theirs as possible. The rogues have only been here a few sunrises, and so some of my clanmates, including Nightpaw, were still understandable wary. Stepping over my brother, I slipped around the rogues and out of the den.

The moonlight fell upon the empty camp, lighting the cliffs up in silver. Although muted, the darkness was still full of life; I could hear the rustling of the plants and the occasional call of a night creature, and, if I listened close enough, the slow breaths of my sleeping clan mates. I fluffed up my fur against the slight chill of the wind and padded down the cliff to the stream, where I lapped up some of the sweet, cool water. Swiping my tongue around my mouth, I straightened, watching the silver water gleam in the moonlight for a moment. I took a deep breath of the clear air, a feeling of peace coming over me. I turned my eyes up to Silverpelt, wondering if StarClan was looking down at me even as I peered up to them. The stars twinkled down at me, equal parts warm and distant. A prayer started to form in my mind, but I couldn't find the words. I suppose that was because I didn't know what I was praying for. I sighed and bowed my head, just as the feeling of being watched washed over me, raising the fur on the back of my neck.

I turned and looked behind me to see the silhouette of a cat perched on Skyrock. I relaxed as I realized it was only the night guard. I watched the cat watching me, a sense of familiarity growing in me as I recognized the dark outline.

I rose to my paws and walked over to the cliff, easily climbing the steep path that led to Skyrock. A small sense of pleasure blossomed in me as I noticed how strong and certain my paws were on the path. I reached the gap in the cliff that separated Skyrock from the rest of the camp and I cleared it in one large, powerful bound. I landed nimbly right next to the guard.

"Hello, Wolfshade," I greeted him.

"Lightningpaw," he purred in reply. "Can't sleep?"

"Yeah," I meowed with a sigh. "Mind if I join you?"

"Of course you can," he said with a blink.

I sat down next to him, our fur barely brushing. The faint touch of his pelt was soothing.

"Why can't you sleep? Does your head still bother you?" He asked, guilt creeping into his voice.

"No, it's not that. It hasn't bothered me for many sunrises," I reassured.

"It's this same sleeplessness that's been going on for moons now, since your half siblings' warrior ceremonies. Everyday, I'm tired but sleep evades me," I meowed with a sigh.

"I have these… dreams sometimes," I admitted, my gaze flickering away from his for a heartbeat. "Nightmares… They wake me up, or keep me from sleeping. And, I think it's getting worse."

I scraped my claws across the stone in frustration.

Wolfshade blinked at me in sympathy.

"Just lay down here," Wolfshade meowed. "And, close your eyes, try to relax."

Obediently, I settled down, the cool, smooth stone brushing my belly fur.

 _I don't think I'll be able to sleep, but what's the harm in trying?_

Wolfshade laid down too, his fur brushing very close to me, causing my heart to beat harder and my pelt to warm.

 _How does he expect me to sleep when being so close to him makes my heart race like a rabbit's?_

I glanced over at him out of the corner of my eye before turning my gaze back forward.

 _Maybe he doesn't know the effect he has on me._

"Put your head down," Wolfshade meowed.

I did, and in a sudden surge of boldness, I pressed closed to him, curling up by his side and resting my chin on his paws.

For a fraction of a heartbeat, Wolfshade did nothing. I took a deep breath, heart starting to hammer.

 _Oh no, maybe I've done something horribly wrong._

I was on the verge of springing back to my paws, when I felt the soft caress of his tail brush across my flank and drape over my side. His body rumbled with a purr and I felt the gentle rasp of his tongue on my head.

"Try to sleep," he murmured.

Then, the gentle rasping of his tongue resumed, rhythmically licking my head and back. A loud purr rumbled in my chest to match with his. I felt myself relaxing as bright, warm happiness flooded through me. Now I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to be completely conscious to feel and remember every perfect second of this. But, as I was still purring, my eyes began to drift shut against my will. Lulled to the edge of sleep by Wolfshade's warm fur and gentle grooming, my purr faded away as I finally drifted off. My last feeling was the press of his pelt against mine and the smell of his sharp scent in my nose.

xxxx

I awoke to a soft muzzle nuzzling my face.

"Lightningpaw," a voice breathed.

"Lightningpaw, the sun's almost up."

My eyes flickered open and my first feeling was one of confusion as I stared out into the brightening sky, not recognizing where I was. It wasn't until I turned to look at the cat next to me that I remembered.

Wolfshade's soft smoky grey fur still enveloped me; his long tail curled over my back. His grey-green eyes stared intently into mine as I raised my head from his paws. He seemed tired, but happy. I felt better and more rested than I'd had in days, my sleep unplagued by dreams, but with this new day and new energy came uncertainty and awkwardness where everything seemed so simple and easy the night before. I could tell Wolfshade felt it too, but he let his tail linger on my back a moment longer before taking it off. I couldn't help but feeling a flash of disappointment when it's soft pressure was removed. However, Wolfshade did stay pressed up close to my side.

"Good morning," he purred.

"Good morning," I meowed through a yawn, blinking in the bright sunrise.

I turned my head to bury my face in the soft ruff of fur on Wolfshade's neck to block out the light.

"It's too bright out," I grumbled good-naturedly.

Wolfshade's body vibrated with a purr, prompting me to lift my face. He gazed at me with a warm look in his eyes. Impulsively, I leaned forward and gently rasped my tongue against his cheek, smoothing down his unruly fur. Wolfshade closed his eyes, his purr rumbling even louder in his chest.

"How are you feeling?" he meowed, eyes still tightly screwed shut.

I took this as an invitation to keep grooming him, smoothing down more of his pelt.

"Much better," I meowed to him.

I was about to keep cleaning the fluffy ruff of fur on the back of his neck, when he interrupted me by twisting his head around to bury his face in my shoulder fur. I pressed my cheek to the side of his head in reply.

A happiness as brilliant and powerful as the sun burned in my chest, shaking me to my core. It felt like I was flying, the world at my paws.

 _What is this? I've never felt this way before._

I felt a small jolt of nervousness at that thought. The strength of my feelings frightened me, but somehow I felt like I would be okay, as long as I was with him.

I heard Wolfshade breathe in deeply, drawing in my scent. I closed my eyes, doing the same to him, letting the sharp coolness of his scent nip at my tongue.

All I wanted was to stay like this, just the two of us, forever. But, the sun was coming up and cats were padding out of their dens. We had responsibilities to take care of.

"Will you head back to your nest to sleep?" I meowed.

"I don't want to," Wolfshade sighed into my pelt.

I purred, delight surging through me.

 _He feels the same way that I do._

But, then Wolfshade sighed and lifted his head. He gazed at me for a heartbeat longer.

"I'm going to sleep for a while, but then we can go hunting together later," he meowed.

Wolfshade leaned forward to give my forehead a final lick before pulling himself to his paws. I got to my feet too and climbed down from Skyrock with him. When we reached the warriors' den Wolfshade departed with a wave of his tail, vanishing into the large, dark cave. I climbed the rest of the way down to the floor of the gorge, uncertain of what to do with myself until Wolfshade woke up, since, after all, Wolfshade was my mentor, and he was suppose to tell me what to do.

Not wanting to get Wolfshade into trouble for leaving me to my own devices, I spotted Creampaw carrying a bundle of fresh moss to the elders' den, and I decided to join her and help change the elders' bedding.

 _I hate the job, but I won't be an apprentice for much longer and doing it one more time won't kill me._

I bounded up to the elders' den and padded into the small, cozy cave. Seedpaw was busy scraping the old bedding aside as her sister deposited the new moss by the entrance. Meanwhile, Tangle was grumbling to himself, as grumpy as always, while Lichenfur still snored in her nest.

"Lightningpaw! There you are!" Seedpaw meowed when she glanced up from her work.

I came over to her side and joined her in removing the old moss.

"We have you been? Your nest was ice cold when we woke up!" Seedpaw exclaimed.

For a moment, I was mildly impressed that the often scatterbrained Seedpaw had even noticed my nest wasn't slept in.

"I've been having trouble sleeping," I meowed with a shrug, not wanting to go into too many details of what happened last night.

"I saw her with Wolfshade this morning," Creampaw interjected, her fluffy grey striped tail flicking mischievously.

My eyes widened and for a heartbeat my paws faltered in their scraping.

 _Mousedung!_

If Creampaw saw us then we will be the gossip of the camp before sun down. Then, before I know it, I'll have my ears chewed off by Lichenfur about how mentor-apprentice relationships are scandalous and inappropriate and Clovertail will teasingly be asking when the kits are due and the gloating I'd get from Briarspot would be endless.

Seedpaw blinked her wide, innocent grey eyes up at me.

"Were you doing early morning training?" She asked.

"No," I muttered through gritted teeth.

"What then?" Seedpaw demanded.

Creampaw purred, delighting in the knowledge she held over her sister.

I twitched my tail.

"Nothing! Well… er, I don't want to talk about it right now. I'll tell you later, but please," I meowed, turning to Creampaw, locking my gaze with her green eyes. "Keep this to yourselves for now, okay?"

Both apprentices nodded their heads, eyes wide. I sighed, wishing I was a warrior already because it would make this...thing, whatever it is with Wolfshade, so much easier.

"I'll take this down," I said, picking up the old bedding and bounding out of the den.

 _Of course, I have no guarantee that Creampaw and Seedpaw will stay quiet, but it won't be much of a use anyway, since who knows how many cats saw us sleeping or sharing tongues together on Skyrock._

I gave my head a shake.

 _We weren't exactly being inconspicuous._

"Lightningpaw!" Sharpclaw called me over with a wave of his tail.

I got rid of the old moss and hurried over to him.

"What are you doing? Where's your mentor?" He asked.

"Wolfshade had guard duty last night. He's sleeping now. I'm helping Creampaw and Seedpaw change the elders bedding," I meowed.

"Good," Sharpclaw mewed, pleased that I was busy.

"But the two of them can handle that. I want you to join Patchfoot on his patrol."

I dipped my head to Sharpclaw and walked over to Patchfoot. The patrol consisted of him, Creekfeather, Sagewhisker, and Minttail. Sagewhisker and Creekfeather meowed a greeting, which I returned. Minttail on the other hand, cast me a weird sidewise look. The fur on my back prickled, but I tried to ignore it.

Patchfoot led us out of the camp and soon we were bounding through the trees. Minttail kept casting sidewise glances at me, but I tried to keep my gazed locked straight ahead.

"Lightningpaw," Minttail rumbled, cutting in front of me to stop me in my tracks.

I stopped, watching the other cats in our patrol pull ahead.

"Yeah?" I asked, blinking at her in confusion.

Why would Minttail want to talk to me? We weren't exactly the closest friends.

"I saw you with Wolfshade this morning," she hissed. "You need to stop."

My jaw dropped, eyes widening.

"What?" I choked out in shock.

"You need to stop seeing Wolfshade or whatever in StarClan's name you're doing," she snapped.

My brow furrowed, anger bubbling inside of me.

"Last I checked, Wolfshade was a full grown warrior, completely capable of deciding who he allows to sit by him," I hissed.

She narrowed her eyes at me, a deep growl rumbling ominously in her throat.

"Sitting? You were curled up right next to him!" she hissed.

The fur on the back of my neck prickled hotly as I remembered the stroke of Wolfshade's tongue across my pelt.

"Who do you think you are, apprentice? Just because you're Leafstar's daughter doesn't mean you're StarClan's gift to SkyClan. I don't know what you think you're doing, but let me make one thing perfectly clear," she growled, taking a threatening step towards me.

I flattened my ears, holding my ground. Minttail was a slight cat, smaller than me, but she fluffed out her fur and stretched up to bring herself nose to nose with me.

"Wolfshade's mine," she snarled.

"He's not a prize to be won," I snapped back.

Then the bushes ruffled to our right. Patchfoot pushed through the leaves, coming back to check on where we went. He quickly noticed our bristling fur and unsheathed claws.

"Is everything alright here?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

I flattened my fur, quickly stepping back.

"We're fine," I mumbled, brushing past Patchfoot, and bounding ahead, wanting to get as far from Minttail as possible.

I quickly caught up to Sagewhisker and Creekfeather.

"Hey, there you are!" Sagewhisker purred to me, blinking his pale green eyes warmly.

After Minttail's outburst, Sagewhisker's presence was like a pool of cool water on a hot summer day. I purred affectionately back at him in reply, before taking the lead and bounding along the border.

The rest of the patrol was undeniably frosty between me and Minttail. She hung back in the rear of the patrol and did not say one word the entire time, to me or any other cat. Patchfoot would occasionally cast me or her a look, but he didn't bring up our confrontation in the woods.

When we got back to camp, Minttail immediately stalked off, heading to the warriors den. I watched her go, my tail-tip twitching. Was she going to find Wolfshade?

My question was answered when a felt a soft pelt brush against my side.

"Hey," Wolfshade purred.

"I thought we could go hunting... What are you staring at?" He meowed.

I blinked, tearing my gaze from Minttail.

"There is something I have to talk to you about," I muttered.

His tail gave the faintest twitch.

"Ok..." he meowed in reply, sounding almost... worried?

My heart dropped at the sudden sound of disappointment in his voice. I stepped forward and pressed my muzzle into his shoulder.

"It can wait for a moment. Let's go," I murmured.

He purred lightly, swiping his tongue over my ear.

We padded out of camp and into the forest. Our pelts brushed and strides matched as we walked along the crest of a hill, completely in sync with each other. Birds chirped in the trees, the scent of new-leaf in the air making them lively. I glanced over at Wolfshade. His dark fur rippled, wiry muscles flexing under his pelt. Sunlight shone in his beautiful grey-green eyes, making them shimmer like a deep pool. I felt relaxed by just being near him. My problems with Minttail were forgotten for now. A sense of mischief filled me, and I eyed him playfully, suddenly leaning forward to press my muzzle to the thick ruff of fur on his neck.

"What?" he purred, turning to look at me.

I didn't reply. Instead, with a purr, I sprung at him, wrapping my legs around his body and knocking his paws out from underneath him. With a surprised meow, Wolfshade tumbled over, and we were rolling down the hill, head over tail. We bumped against the ground, and each other, but all the while we were purring until we were breathless. We came to a rest at the bottom of the hill, legs tangled together, pelts covered in leaf litter and sticks. I was half-draped over Wolfshade, our chests pressed together. Wolfshade lay on his back, purring so hard his shoulders shook, gazing up at me with eyes that blazed like twin green fires. He raised his head up, pressing his nose to my cheek, then gently licked my face. I closed my eyes, bending my head to bury my face in his soft chest fur. I breathed his scent in deeply. His fur tickled my nose, but his sharp, cool scent rushed through me. I lifted my head, but kept my chin resting on his chest. He gazed at me, eyes shining with an intense emotion I could not place. His body vibrated as he purred, chest rising and falling under me with each breath he took. I leaned down, so for a moment our muzzles touched. He closed his eyes at the contact, taking a deep breath that amplified his purr.

"You make me so happy, Wolfshade," I murmured.

His eyes flicked open to stare fiercely into mine. He was silent for a moment, searching my gaze with his.

"There is no other cat I would rather be with right now," he meowed softly.

Purring, I twined my tail with his, burying my head in his chest.

After we had laid like that in the leaves for a while, we decided we should probably do some hunting. Reluctantly, I disentangled myself from him, shaking the leaf-litter from my coat. When he got up, he shook the leaves from his fur before brushing against the whole length of my body and flopping his tail over my back. I turned my head to look back at him.

"What I wanted to tell you was that Minttail and I got into an argument on patrol today," I blurted out suddenly.

"What?" Wolfshade meowed, fully opening his half closed eyes.

"She saw us this morning and was upset. Other cats did too. I'm afraid we'll be the talk of the camp soon," I meowed.

"Well they can put a mouse in it," Wolfshade grumbled, lashing his tail.

"I want to be able to share my prey with you and hunt with you by my side," he continued, looking at me earnestly.

I gazed at him, warmth building in my chest.

"Me too. I don't care what other cats say. I want to be with you," I meowed.

He purred, pressing himself close to me again. I closed my eyes and purred back.

We did eventually go hunting, bringing back two birds and a two mice, a pretty good haul for only the start of new-leaf.

As we were padding through the trees back to camp, a rancid scent drifted into my mouth around the sweet scent of the mice in my jaws.

"Do you smell that?" I meowed to Wolfshade.

He sniffed the air.

"It smells like really strong crow-food," he replied, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

I nodded in agreement, before turning and striding in the direction of the scent to investigate. As I was bounding through the undergrowth, following the scent, I almost stumbled over a damp patch of fur in the grass. I recoiled, the scent of crow-food rushing over me like a wave.

In the patch of dewy grass in front of me lay the fox, dead, its body half hidden by the green fronds. Its eyes were open, but empty and glassy, staring out at nothing. Its tongue was hanging out between broken yellow teeth and lolling in the dirt. Its patchy red pelt looked bleached from the sun on its skeletal frame, and I saw its fur shift as wormed wiggled through its skin. I shuddered, taking a step back, my eyes wide with horror.

"Good riddance," Wolfshade growled, padding forward and peering down at it.

"It seems strange though doesn't it?" I meowed quietly, staring down at the fox.

"What does?" Wolfshade meowed, turning back to me.

My gaze was locked on the fox's. I seemed unable to make my eyes move. The fox's slitted amber eyes looked an eerily lot like a cat's.

"It's new-leaf. It made it all the way through leaf-bare; now there should be more prey for it to eat. But, it's dead anyway," I meowed, still looking into the fox's eyes.

"Yeah, but maybe it was sick. Or too weak to hunt," Wolfshade pointed out. "But, either way, it's good news for us. We should tell Leafstar when we get back to camp."

"Right," I meowed softly, taking another step back and finally forcing my gaze away.

"Let's get out of here," I meowed, turning to race through the forest.


	25. Chapter 24: A Chilling Dawn

Back in camp, we walked over to the fresh kill pile and dropped our prey onto it. I had been quiet on the way back, thoughts still on the fox.

"Want to share a rabbit?" Wolfshade asked, pawing it out from under the prey we dropped.

I gave my head a small shake, trying to put the fox out of my head.

"Yeah. But, are the elders and queens fed?" I asked.

"Creampaw and Seedpaw should have taken care of that while we were out hunting," Wolfshade meowed, before casting me a look of amusement. "But, shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"

"Come on, we both know who the _actual_ responsible one is here," I teased, flicking his ear with my tail.

He purred happily as I bent my head to pick up the rabbit. Then, I spotted Minttail striding towards us from the dens.

"Uh-oh," I muttered, straightening without picking up the prey.

Wolfshade looked over his shoulder and spotted the angry grey tabby she-cat stalking towards us. He squared his shoulders and straightened in preparation. I moved forward to his side and tried to keep my fur from bristling.

"Wolfshade! I need to talk with you," Minttail growled.

"Yes?" He answered calmly, sitting and curling his tail over his paws.

Minttail blinked.

 _Maybe she was surprised that he didn't offer to talk somewhere more private._

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

Wolfshade's brow furrowed.

"I don't understand," he replied.

"What are you doing with her!" Minttail meowed, jabbing her tail in my direction.

My heart started to pound at her confrontational tone, but I didn't reply to her. Instead, I mirrored Wolfshade by calmly sitting.

"Lightningpaw is my apprentice..." Wolfshade meowed.

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I mean," Minttail hissed, narrowing her eyes.

"Alright, I won't," Wolfshade meowed, with a flash of impatience in his green eyes. "I have feelings for Lightningpaw."

I froze, happiness surging through me. My heart soared to hear him say it out loud, and despite the hostile radiating from Minttail, I had to stifle a purr and stop myself from pressing against him. Minttail, on the other paw, stood dumbfounded, jaw hanging halfway open.

"But-but, how could you! You barely know her! While we've been close for so long!" Minttail stammered.

Wolfshade blinked sadly.

"Why Lightningpaw? We were friends first... For seasons, _I'm_ the one that's had feelings for you," Minttail confessed, her green eyes searching his.

Wolfshade sighed.

"Minttail, you've been one of my best friends since we were kits, and I'd hate to lose your friendship, but I just don't feel the same way as you do. I'm sorry," Wolfshade meowed.

Suddenly enraged, Minttail pinned her ears back, tail whipping from side to side.

"You pile of fox dung! So that's it then. You're going to throw away everything we had, for _her!_ For an _apprentice!_ " she spat.

The tip of Wolfshade's tail twitched. Although he still looked composed, I could see the tenseness of his muscles bunching beneath his pelt. He was quickly losing patience.

"Lightningpaw is more than an appren—" Wolfshade began.

"Lightningpaw is nothing better than a pathetic, mewling _kitty-pet's kit_ who gets whatever she wants when she wails hard enough because her mother is clan leader!" Minttail interrupted with a vicious hiss.

"Hey!" I snapped, leaping to my paws and curling my lip up.

But, before I could say any more, Wolfshade lunged towards Minttail with a snarl. He didn't lay a claw on her, but, Minttail still leapt backwards, her pelt bristling in fear. Tail lashing, Wolfshade glowered at her, his green eyes flashing dangerously.

"Don't you dare talk about Lightningpaw like that. Say whatever you want about me. _I'm_ the one you have a problem with. Leave her out of it. Do you understand?" He hissed.

Minttail scowled at him, giving no reply. Our argument had drawn curious glances from other cats around the camp. My tail twitched uncomfortably at the feeling of their piercing gazes on the three of us.

"This conversation is over," Wolfshade rumbled, then with a swish of his tail, stalked off.

With a final glare at Minttail, I followed, leaving her standing alone by the fresh-kill pile with the full force of the clan's gaze on her.

Wolfshade waited for me in the forest just outside camp. He was still fuming, but as I bounded over to him, he softened and touched his nose to mine.

"Are you alright? I'm sorry about Minttail. She's not usually like that," he meowed.

I blinked, not entirely sure if I agreed with his last statement.

"I'm fine," I replied, deciding not to go into that right now.

Wolfshade shook his head, the final remainders of anger fading out of him.

"What are we going to do with her?" he sighed.

I felt a pang of sympathy for Wolfshade. Although I didn't particularly like Minttail, she was his friend and that friendship was suffering. For me. I pressed my muzzle to his cheek in a comforting gesture.

"Give it time. Time heals even the deepest wounds," I mewed.

Wolfshade purred faintly, pressing himself closer to me.

We walked around the forest together, talking occasionally, and going no where in particular, but I was sure to keep us away from the area of the woods with the dead fox. I didn't want to almost step on it again. We walked until the sun began to dip towards the horizon. Then, we padded back to camp. I spotted Leafstar walking through the gorge as we entered the camp.

"We should tell her about the fox," I meowed to Wolfshade.

He nodded in agreement, and we strode over to her.

"Leafstar," I called.

My mother stopped and waited as Wolfshade and I came up to her.

"I'm glad you're here. There is something I need to talk to you about," Leafstar meowed.

"We have to talk to you too," I said.

"While we were hunting earlier, we came across the fox. It's dead. In the southern part of the woods," Wolfshade meowed.

"That's good," Leafstar meowed. "I'm sure the Clan will be relieved to hear that that threat is now gone."

Leafstar paused for a moment before continuing.

"Now, what I wanted to talk to you about is that Patchfoot told me that you and Minttail had an argument on patrol today. Then you, Wolfshade, and Minttail got into another one here in camp not that long ago," my mother meowed, gaze flickering between the two of us.

"Do you care to explain?"

I looked down at my paws, doubly embarrassed that I was being called out, not only by my clan leader, but by my mother too.

 _I can't believe that out of all things, my mom is scolding me for fighting over_ ** _a tom_** _, for StarClan's sake._

Wolfshade stood stiffly at my shoulder, looking deeply uncomfortable with his fur standing on edge.

"You three are clanmates, and I don't expect you to get along all of the time, but when your arguments begin affecting your duties, it becomes a problem," Leafstar continued, glancing from Wolfshade and to me and back.

"I know," I meowed to my mother, bringing my gaze up to meet hers. "But, a personal argument with a clanmate will _never_ effect my duties as a member of SkyClan. The safety and wellness of the Clan will always come first."

Wolfshade nodded in agreement.

Leafstar softened, and her eyes began to shine.

"I know," she meowed to me. "And, that's one of the reasons why you will be such a fantastic warrior."

As the setting sun turned the sky blazing red and orange, Leafstar spun and bounded up the Rockpile.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather under Rockpile for a Clan meeting!" Leafstar called.

Cats appeared from dens, running down sides the cliff like flowing water, and bounded over from the edges of the camp to gather around where we were.

I blinked in confusion. What was she doing? Was she making an announcement about this to the entire Clan? My pelt started to prickle with heat.

Wolfshade, however, didn't look concerned, quite the opposite in fact. He turned to me, his steel-green eyes blazing proudly and his body vibrating with a loud purr.

"Today, we preform one of the most important ceremonies in Clan life, the making of new warriors. Nightpaw and Lightningpaw, please step forward," Leafstar purred.

My eyes met with my brother's across the camp. His face mirrored my shock and delight. My heart pounding, paws slightly shaking, I strode forward, into the center of the semicircle of cats. For a heartbeat, I worried that there were still leaves in my fur from my roll down the hill earlier with Wolfshade.

 _I didn't even have time to give myself a quick grooming!_

Nightpaw padded to my side, his dark pelt sleek, except for a small splatter of mud on his hind legs. But, our mother didn't wait for us to prepare. She bounded down Rockpile, her blue eyes shining with pride and love for her kits. I raised my head and tail, straightened my shoulders, and met her blue gaze levelly.

"I, Leafstar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn," Leafstar meowed, eyes turning upwards, towards the darkening sky, where the first stars of Silverpelt began to twinkle.

Then her gaze flickered back down.

"Nightpaw, Lightningpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your lives?" Leafstar asked.

"I do," Nightpaw replied first, his voice deep and uncharacteristically solemn.

"I do," I echoed, my mew steady and certain despite my pounding heart and the nervousness and excitement that swirled in my belly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names," Leafstar announced.

My heart pounded as I stood before my leader, nameless, my identity stripped away in preparation for my new one.

Leafstar turned to my brother.

"Nightpaw, from this moment you will be known as Nightstorm. StarClan honors your bravery and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full member of SkyClan," Leafstar said.

Nightstorm dipped his head. Leafstar tilted her head up to rest her muzzle on his board forehead and he licked her shoulder. They murmured something to each other, before Nightstorm took a step back, leaving me the center of everyone's attention. My mother turned to me.

"Lightningpaw, from this moment you will be known as Lightningfire. StarClan honors your intelligence and determination, and we welcome you as a full member of SkyClan," Leafstar meowed.

She rested her muzzle on my head, and I rasped my tongue across her tabby shoulder.

"I love you," my mother purred.

"I love you too," I whispered back, before stepping backwards, beside Nightstorm.

"Lightningfire! Nightstorm! Lightningfire! Nightstorm!" The entire Clan raised their voices in a loud, joyful cry.

Blinding happiness ripped through me at the sound of our new names.

 _We did it! I am a warrior!_

The chanting dissolved as the Clan surged towards us. Pelts pressed against me from every side, congratulations were shouted, and cats affectionately nuzzled me.

"I'm so proud of you," Brackenstorm purred, pressing himself against me briefly.

"Thank you, Dad," I purred.

His eyes shone with love, before he slipped away.

"Lightningfire. What a great name," Wolfshade's deep voice rasped behind me.

I whipped around, inadvertently hitting Sagewhisker's ear with my tail while I turned.

"Sorry, Sagewhisker!" I said.

He blinked good naturedly.

"Congratulations!" he purred, before padding away between the other cats.

Wolfshade shouldered his way forward. I leapt towards him, rubbing my cheek against his. When I pulled my head back, he gazed at me, green eyes shining.

"You two are making me sick," Cherrytail joked, slowly padding over to me, three tiny kits tumbling around at her paws.

I turned to her and purred, heart warming at the sight of my old mentor.

"Congratulations. I know you will be as great a warrior as you were an apprentice," Cherrytail purred.

"Thank you, Cherrytail," I said.

"I want to be just like her!" Owlkit squeaked, looking up at me with wide eyes and bristling ginger and white fur.

I purred.

"I'm sure you will be a great warrior someday," I meowed down to her.

Owlkit squealed with excitement, bouncing around her brothers Ripplekit and Adderkit before Cherrytail ushered them away, and they were replaced by two bouncing apprentices.

"Congratulations! Congratulations!" Creampaw and Seedpaw yowled.

"I didn't tell anyone all day, Lightningfire, about Wolfshade, but now it looks like you wouldn't care if I did," Creampaw mewed, eyeing how closely Wolfshade and I were pressed together.

"I appreciate it anyways, Creampaw," I purred.

"It will be your warriors ceremony next," I told the sisters.

The apprentices' fur fluffed out excitedly, and they dashed off, meowing their goodbyes over their shoulders.

"Congratulations," Briarspot purred, casting a knowing glance at me after glancing at Wolfshade.

I was going to get such a gloating from her later. Lionclaw came with Briarspot to give me a friendly nudge, and Ravenfur purred, happily twining herself around me.

"Lightningfire."

I turned towards the rasping voice to see Whisper.

"Thank you for bringing me and my friends to SkyClan," Whisper meowed, dipping her head to me.

"You saved my life because of it," Shiver added, limping through the crowd and over to me.

This was the first time I've seen the white cat since she came to camp because she had been in the medicine cat's den the whole time. The cut on Shiver's shoulder was padded with herbs, but the swelling looked like it had completely disappeared. Her eyes were bright and her pelt looked sleeker.

"You're welcome. I was just doing what anyone here would have done," I meowed, dipping my head to them. "But, I'm glad I could help."

Whisper and Shiver blinked gratefully at me.

Cats were still mingling around us, but Leafstar stepped forward.

"The sun has set. Nightstorm and Lightningfire will hold silent vigil until sunrise," Leafstar announced.

Wolfshade pressed his nose to my ear in goodnight. Then Nightstorm and I left the group of cats to climb up to Skyrock. I settled on the cool stone, watching as most cats headed to the dens to sleep. I spotted Wolfshade's dark pelt lingering outside for a while before he too bounded up the cliff and disappeared into the shadowy cave.

As Nightstorm and I sat on Skyrock, the air began to chill, showing that the long claws of leaf-bare still had some grip in our territory. Our breaths turned to fog under the starry sky. I held my chin high, fur fluffed against the cold, the sound of my clan-mates' cheers still echoing in my ears.

 _Lightningfire. Lightningfire._

I tried my name out, mouthing it silently, as to not break the silence of our vigil. I liked the way it flowed on my tongue. It was a good name, I decided, suppressing a purr.

 _Leafstar named me after Firestar, the cat that saved SkyClan._

My pelt warmed with happiness at the thought.

 _Of course, with Sandstorm's help,_ I amended, shooting a sidewise glance at my brother.

We both had great warrior names.

 _Fitting for such great warriors_

Pride and pure, blinding joy ripped through me, keeping me fully awake despite the night wearing on. I was a warrior in the greatest Clan in the world, I had my family, my friends, and Wolfshade. I had everything I've ever wanted. I turned my eyes up to Silverpelt.

 _Thank you._

Our warrior ancestors twinkled down at us, as silent as always.

xxxx

I sat silently under the light of the almost-half moon, which turned our territory silver in front of me. Nightstorm sat on the far side of Skyrock. I glanced over at him, watching his dark flanks rise and fall as he breathed quietly. He seemed to be the only creature besides myself in this whole forest that was awake. I took a deep breath of the crisp air, my eyes sweeping over the silver stones in the camp below. The sky in the east was oh so faintly lightening, indicating that dawn was not too far off.

"… I went out in the forest and saw it for myself."

My ears pricked as, very faintly, voices drifted into my ears, so quiet that I could have almost imagined them. I blinked, straining my ears to listen. I glanced at Nightstorm, but he was staring out at the forest in the distance, looking like he had not heard a thing.

 _Maybe I did imagine it._

"Why would you do that Echosong?"

My ears pricked again with excitement, and I recognized this voice as Leafstar's. It was echoing up the cliffs from the silent camp.

"I had a bad feeling and seeing the fox just confirmed my fears," Echosong meowed.

My brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?" Leafstar meowed softly.

My eyes swept the camp, but I could not see where Leafstar and Echosong were conferring.

"It was an omen," Echosong meowed gravely.

I froze, feeling my blood go cold at the dread in her tone.

"The fox survived the harshest parts of leaf-bare only to die now, in new-leaf, a season which should be a time of revival and rebirth," Echosong said.

Heart pounding, I strained my ears, searching the breeze vainly for my mother's reply.

"…What are you saying, Echosong?" Leafstar meowed finally.

"We cannot lower our guard. Storm clouds still gather on the horizon. The worst for our Clan has yet to come," Echosong said.

The camp went silent again as their voices faded away. Out in the distance, birds started to sing, their chirping filling the air. Heart still pounding in my chest, I straightened, starting blankly out into the horizon. I watched as the sun rose in the east, its warm yellow rays pouring over the tops of the trees, reaching all the way out to Skyrock to wrap its golden light around me and enveloping me in its warmth. But, in my bones all I felt was cold.


	26. Chapter 25: Whispers

I yawned, arching my back and stretching in my nest. Sunlight streamed in through the mouth of the warrior's den, falling across my eyes. I looked around the huge cave, still not used to the size of the den. My nest was close to Nightstorm's, and it was one of the closest to the mouth of the den, since we were the youngest warriors. The senior warriors got the darkest, coziest dens in the back of the cave.

Wolfshade's nest was next to mine. I closed my eyes, a soft purr of delight vibrating through me as I remembered stumbling into the warriors' den after my vigil in the early dawn light, to be greeted by Wolfshade, and the shy look in his eyes when he waved his tail over the new nest, telling me it was mine if I wanted it.

But, my mood darkened quickly as my thoughts drifted back to what I overheard from Leafstar and Echosong at the end of my vigil. I shuddered, digging my claws into the moss of my nest.

 _What horrible things are coming for my Clan? And, more importantly, how can I stop it?_

My mother had not told the Clan about Echosong's omen, but I suppose that she didn't want to cause a panic.

 _Still, we need to know to be prepared. What would I do if I lost my friends and family?_

My eyes opened, and I turned to look at Wolfshade's nest next to mine. It was empty, but when I leaned over, I noticed the moss was still warm.

I rose to my paws, giving my head a shake.

 _I should stop worrying about omens. Leave that to medicine cats and leaders. Right now, to protect my Clan, I should just go out there and be the best warrior I can be._

I looked around the cave; there were still some cats sleeping. Sagewhisker and Minttail were still in their nests, side by side on the far side of the den. My gaze flickered over the grey furred siblings before I turned and padded out of the den.

It was a bright morning, and the sun was shining down on the busy camp. Cats bustled to and fro, going in and out on patrols. I bounded down the cliff face, padding into camp.

"Hello, Crash," I meowed to the black-and-white tom as I passed.

He grunted in reply. My ears twitched.

 _As friendly as usual._

I spotted Wolfshade grooming himself by the base of Rockpile. I bounded over to him, greeting him with a purr and a nose touch. Wolfshade purred and blinked in reply, but there seemed to be a slightly foggy look in his normally clear gaze. I cocked my head at him in confusion.

"What's wrong?" I meowed, pulling back.

"Oh! Um, nothing," he meowed, giving his head a shake, then pressing his muzzle to mine in what seemed to be an attempt to reassure me. He pulled his head back, blinking at me.

 _He seems upset._

My brow furrowed. Wolfshade purred softly. I opened my mouth to ask him again, but then I shut my jaws. I didn't want to annoy him by being prodding.

 _He'll tell me if something is really wrong._

 _Right?_

"I'm about to go on border patrol. Do you want me to ask Shrewtooth if there's room for one more?" Wolfshade meowed, angling his ears towards the group of gathering cats.

"No thanks. I want to see if I can head out on a hunt, actually," I meowed.

"Alright," he purred, touching is muzzle to mine in goodbye. "I'll see you later then."

Wolfshade got to his paws and bounded off. I looked around camp, searching for Sharpclaw so I could get assigned to a hunting patrol. I started to walk over to him, but before I got there, Leafstar padded up to me.

"Do you have a moment, Lightningfire?" Leafstar meowed.

"Yeah," I replied, my ears pricking with interest as I turned to my mother.

"There is something I'd like to tell you. I'll be making an announcement to the whole Clan soon, but I wanted to make sure you, Brackenstorm, and Nightstorm heard it first," Leafstar said.

"What is it?" I meowed, growing increasingly curious.

"I'm expecting kits," Leafstar said.

"You're—what—"

I blinked hard a couple of times as the words processed, then I started to purr.

"Really, Mom?! I'm going to have siblings?" I meowed.

"Yes," she purred, her eyes shining with delight.

"That's amazing!" I meowed, rubbing my face against Leafstar's. "I'm so excited! I can't believe it!"

"Your father was very excited when I told him too," Leafstar purred. "He can't wait to have some tiny kits to play with again."

"Brackenstorm must be so proud!" I meowed, blinking happily. "When are you due?"

"It'll be another moon or so before they are here," Leafstar said, curling her tail around her belly.

I touched my nose to Leafstar's.

"I'm so happy for you," I said.

"Telling her the good news?" Echosong meowed, padding over to us, her eyes shining knowingly.

"Yes," Leafstar meowed happily. "Now, I just have to go tell Nightstorm."

Leafstar touched her nose to my ear in farewell. I purred as she turned and trotted off. I stood still for a moment longer, still warm from nose to tail-tip from my mother's announcement.

 _I'm going to have more siblings!_

"Hey, Lightningfire. Are you doing anything right now?" Echosong asked.

I blinked, bringing myself back.

"I was thinking that I might go hunting. But, no, I'm not really," I meowed, turning to the medicine cat. "Do you need something?"

"I twisted my paw gathering herbs this morning," Echosong meowed, raising a dainty white forepaw. "Nothing serious, it's just a bit sore. But, I wanted to clean out my herb storage and would appreciate some help if you're free."

"Sure," I meowed with a nod.

"Do you want another set of paws?" Whisper asked, padding over to us.

"I overheard," she meowed in her rasping voice a bit shyly. "And, I'd like to help if I could."

"I'd be happy for the help," Echosong meowed cheerfully.

Whisper and I followed Echosong into the medicine cat's den. Echosong padded to the back of the den, to where she stored the herbs in the cracks of the sandy cave wall.

"Go through each herb pile and anything dry or withered like this should be thrown out," Echosong meowed, hooking a shriveled leaf with her claw from one of the nooks in the wall to show us.

"Alright, got it," I meowed, while Whisper nodded in agreement.

"Just meow if you need anything!" Echosong said, padding back towards the front of the cave to sort some herbs.

Whisper and I got to work, digging through the herbs and pulling out the old ones. We worked in silence for a while, but while we sorted the herbs, curiosity started to gnaw at me as I glanced over at Whisper out of the corner of my eye.

I knew so little about her.

 _How did she end up in our forest?_

I cleared my throat, breaking the silence.

"Um, do you mind if I ask you something?" I meowed to her.

Whisper blinked her green eyes at me.

"No, what's up?" she meowed.

"Where did you and your friends come from?" I meowed, the words spilling out of me.

Whisper was quiet for a moment, her paws still busily moving over the herbs.

"Far downstream from the river that flows through this camp and through your territory, there is a city," she meowed.

"A city?" I echoed.

"Oh—Er— It's like a big two-leg's place," Whisper explained.

She looked down.

"There is a group of cats there. A lot of cats, more than even here," she meowed.

"Another Clan?" I meowed, my brow furrowing.

"No," Whisper rasped, with a soft growl. "I wouldn't call them a Clan. They are nothing like SkyClan. Well, there is a leader, but we call her a Queen. And, there are no rules besides what the Queen says. There are no laws like the Warrior Code," she meowed.

Whisper's gaze drifted up and a faraway look entered her eyes.

"That's where we're from," Whisper continued. "There aren't a lot of trees. No beautiful forests, like the one here. No green, all grey. Most cats live on the streets or in the alleys. There is one nice place though: the Park."

 _Streets. Alleys. Parks._

My head spun with all the unfamiliar words.

"A park is like a small forest in the middle of a two-leg place," Whisper explained, after noticing the glazed expression on my face.

"Why would there be a small forest in the middle of a two-leg place?" I asked.

Whisper shrugged.

"I dunno. Two-legs seem to like to walk through it sometimes," Whisper meowed.

"The Queen lives in the Park, along with other high-ranking cats. If lower-ranking cats want to see the Queen because they need something from her, they have to come to the Park. They also have to go every few sunrises to bring her a portion of their prey," Whisper said.

"They bring the… Queen prey?" I asked, my tongue stumbling over the strange word. "Why?"

"She'd send her lieutenants after them if they didn't," Whisper answered.

My fur prickled as a chill raced down my spine at the coldness in her words.

"My mother was a high-ranking cat," Whisper continued, turning to look down at her paws. "I used to cry a lot when I was a very young kit. Day and night apparently. Pretty soon the Queen got sick of it. She said that I'd attract the two-legs to us, and they'd chase us out of the park, or capture us. The Queen sent one of her lieutenants to me. 'Cause the Queen doesn't like getting her own paws dirty. Says the blood takes too long to wash out…"

Whisper's voice trailed off.

"What did they do?" I whispered.

Whisper tilted her chin up and raised a paw to her neck. Through a parting of her dark ginger fur, I saw a large, jagged, milky-white scar, slashed right across her throat. I pulled back, my pelt pricking with horror.

"It never healed right," Whisper rasped, lowering her chin again. "But, the Queen got what she wanted; I never cried again after that day."

Whisper went back to pulling out the old herbs from the piles.

"And, at least I got my name out of it," Whisper said.

I gazed at her silently, heart twisting in my chest.

"To a kit. A helpless kit," I whispered.

Whisper's gaze flickered back to mine, before giving a shrug and looking away again.

"That's what life's like there," she meowed.


	27. Chapter 26: Crash

"Lightningfire! Lightningfire!"

I stirred in my nest, blinking sleep out of my eyes.

"What?" I meowed, looking around groggily in the pale early dawn light that streamed into the warrior's den.

"Lightningfire! Have you seen Crash?" Whisper rasped, standing in front of me with her ginger fur on end.

"No," I meowed rubbing sleep out of my eyes with my paw.

Wolfshade raised his head beside me, and other warriors were stirring around us too, awakened by Whisper's hoarse shout.

"What's going on, Whisper?" I meowed.

"Crash and I got into an argument last night. He stormed off into the forest. I let him go so he could cool down, but when I woke up this morning, he was still gone. I'm worried that something really bad has happened to him," Whisper meowed, her ears pinned back.

"Are you sure he's not just sleeping somewhere in the woods?" Wolfshade meowed through a yawn.

"Crash and I have been best friends since we were kits," Whisper said, turning to Wolfshade. "And, we've _never_ been apart for this long. He wouldn't have stayed out all night."

Whisper lashed her tail, sinking her claws into the ground agitatedly.

"Please. You've got to help me look for him," she meowed.

"Don't worry, Whisper. We will," I meowed, getting to my paws.

"I'll help," Wolfshade said, rising to his feet next to me.

"And, take Sparrowpelt and Egg," Sharpclaw meowed, raising his head from his nest in the back of the cave.

The cats he named rose to their paws with only a couple of grumbles.

"Thank you," Whisper gasped to Sharpclaw.

Sharpclaw nodded his head to her in reply.

The group of us padded out of the den and bounded down the cliff into camp. Shiver and Tattered were waiting for us there.

"Is your shoulder healed enough to go out on patrol?" I meowed to Shiver as she joined our group.

Shiver flexed her claws, turning to look at the sealing wound that marked the white fur on her shoulder.

"Yes. I'll be fine. I have to help find Crash," Shiver meowed.

I nodded.

I looked around at the patrol of cats around me and was surprised to see that all the cats were looking to me, even Sparrowpelt, a senior warrior.

My stomach flipped nervously. Apparently, I was leading my first patrol today.

 _I suppose I was the first to volunteer to help Whisper._

"Alright, Whisper," I meowed, turning to the ginger she-cat. "Which way did Crash leave camp last night? We'll see if we can pick up his scent trail from there."

"This way," Whisper meowed, padding along the river.

We followed her out of camp. As we walked I breathed in deeply, running the air over my tongue to try to tease out Crash's scent. But, the scents of all of my clan mates from camp were too entwined for me to pick out a specific one.

"Anything?" Whisper meowed, turning to look back at us.

Everyone in my patrol shook their heads. Whisper's face fell.

"Don't worry," Wolfshade meowed, turning to Whisper. "Lightningfire is one of the best trackers in the Clan."

Shiver, Tattered, and Whisper all looked at me with hopeful eyes.

I swallowed, suddenly feeling a lot of pressure.

I closed my eyes.

 _Come on, Lightningfire. You've got this._

I slowly breathed in the warm morning air again, letting it linger in my nose and my mouth.

"I think I've got something!" I meowed, my eyes snapping back open as Crash's coarse and slightly acidic-tinged scent drifted into my nose.

I bounded forward, taking the lead as we exited camp and entered the forest. Crash's scent became clearer in my nose as the scents around me became less muddied. The scent trail continued to follow the river downstream. Our patrol loped single file with me at its head. We traveled through the forest for a while, Crash's scent heading unwaveringly parallel to the river. The scent was from last night, just starting to go stale.

I looked over at Whisper from the corner of my eye. She looked more and more distraught the more distance we traveled, her tail low and ears angled back. I slowed my pace to drop back, by her side.

"Can I ask you something?" I meowed to her. "Why were you and Crash fighting last night?"

"I mean, you don't have to tell me," I added quickly, turning to look away from her. "If you don't want to, you know."

Whisper sighed.

"No, it's fine," she said. "We were fighting because, now that the fox that wounded Shiver is dead, he wanted the four of us to head back out into the woods and start living on our own again. I told him that I like it here and don't want to leave, and he didn't like that very much."

"Why would Crash want to leave SkyClan?" I meowed, feeling a bit hurt that he would abandon the Clan after we've fed and sheltered him for around a moon.

"It's nothing personal," Whisper said with her mangled purr at the offended look on my face. "He just doesn't like big groups of cats. He doesn't trust them. They remind him too much of where we grew up."

"Oh," I said, blinking in understanding.

"I like you guys though," Whisper meowed softly, turning her gaze back forward to scan the undergrowth for any sign of Crash's black-and-white pelt.

Her brow furrowed with worry.

"Crash wouldn't have left us," Whisper meowed quietly, half to herself, shaking her head as we continued to walk farther and farther from camp. "He couldn't have."

Unable to assuage her fears, I didn't reply.

We walked on in silence. Eventually, we reached the edge of our territory. Here the river steeply dipped into a waterfall, tumbling through the air for several fox-lengths before crashing back to the ground. I stopped at our scent markers at the top of the waterfall, my gaze searching the forest ahead.

Crash's scent continued on over the border.

My patrol grouped around me at the border. Whisper's ears were flat against her head as she gazed out into the forest. Shiver pressed herself comfortingly against her side.

"We can go on a bit farther," I meowed, turning to look to Whisper.

I glanced back at Sparrowpelt. The senior warrior hesitated for a moment, before giving a nod of permission. I turned forward again.

"We must be careful, there could be any sort of rogues, foxes, or badgers ahead," Wolfshade murmured to me.

"I know," I replied, briefly pressing my muzzle to his cheek.

The sun was high in the sky as I led the patrol down the small cliff, and we padded into the unfamiliar forest.

My ears were pricked and every hair on my pelt vibrated with alertness as we traveled on. These were my first paw-steps outside of SkyClan territory.

What a strange thought.

I gazed up at the unfamiliar branches waving above my head and the trees stretching around me in all directions. I remembered the forests and the fields that I could see in the distance from Skyrock, even the faint cropping of mountains far beyond the two-leg place where Ebonyclaw, Harveymoon, and Macgyver live.

 _How large the world must be._

As we continued to travel, the sun starting to fall from sun-high, showing that we've been gone more that half a day now. We were still following the scent trail by the river. And, there was still no sign of Crash.

 _He has a whole night on us. We can't catch him. He wanted to leave, and now it looks like he's gone._

I sighed, defeat dragging at my paws as I came to a stop. I turned to look back at my patrol, opening my jaws to suggest that we return to SkyClan territory.

Before I could speak, the familiar heavy, salty scent of blood nipped at my tongue, carried over to me on the breeze.

"Oh no," I whispered.

"Blood," Wolfshade meowed quietly, walking up to my side to stare down the scent trail ahead.

Whisper took off, tearing down the bank of the river.

"Let's go," I meowed, bounding after her with the rest of our patrol in pursuit.

We ran down the river bank, the hot scent of blood growing stronger and stronger, until it was so powerful it coated my lungs and throat and made me want to gag.

I saw the lump of black-and-white fur washed on the stone bank in the river. Whisper made a bee-line for him, her paws scrambling on the loose stones. Crash's hind-legs were in the river, swaying gently in the current. His front half was on the bank, and his torso was drenched in a pool of his scarlet blood.

Whisper gave a heart-wrenching, strangled cry as she nosed his side. I slowed as I padded up to them. Crash's eyes were wide, but they stared up at nothing. His throat was torn open so viciously I could see the gleam of the white bones in his neck. More gashes covered his sides and belly, those wounds just as deep as the one on his neck.

Whisper was hunched over the body, staring blankly down at Crash. I gently touched my nose to Whisper's shoulder.

"His fur is so cold," she rasped, her sides shaking.

"What could have done this to him?" Egg meowed, looking horrified at the state of Crash's body.

Shiver and Tattered came to Whisper's side, pressing themselves on either side of her.

"It must have been a fox or a badger. Maybe a dog," Sparrowpelt meowed quietly as to not disturb Whisper, Shiver or Tattered.

I watched the three rogues, their faces awash with grief as they sat by their dead friend's side.

"We've never been apart, since the day we met when we were just kits," Whisper rasped, her head bowed. "And, now he's gone. I'll never be with him again. And, I wasn't there for him when he needed me. I let him die alone and afraid."

She crumpled over, burying her face into his side.

"I'm—so—sorry—Crash," Whisper meowed into his fur, her words so garbled that they were barely understandable, and her sides shook so hard that she had to gasp for breath.

I watched her in silence for a moment.

"…Don't worry," I murmured quietly to Whisper, touching my tail to her side. "Crash is safe. He's in StarClan now."

"But, he wasn't a clan cat," Whisper meowed, raising her head to look up at me.

"He was a loyal friend to you all, and he had a good heart." I meowed slowly. "I'm sure StarClan would…"

"If he was such a good friend why did he leave us," Tattered growled.

"Tattered," Shiver hissed, giving him a glare then casting a pointed look at Whisper.

Tattered clenched his jaw and glared back at Shiver, but then he dipped his head to press his scarred muzzle to Whisper's cheek.

"Sorry, Whisper," he meowed. "I didn't mean that. I know Crash loved you very much. He would've followed you to the ends of the earth if that's what you would've wanted."

"And, I know he would have come back to us," Shiver meowed, then cast a sad glance down at Crash. "If something hadn't gotten to him first."

"We can take his body back to camp to hold vigil for him," Sparrowpelt suggested.

"No. Let's just bury him here," Whisper meowed.

She turned to glance over at the patrol.

"It wouldn't matter to him if he was buried here or in SkyClan territory," she said.

"Alright. Whatever you want," I meowed.

We dug a hole at the edge of the forest, overlooking the river. Whisper, Shiver, and Tattered carried Crash's body to the grave. We filled it in with dirt, and Tattered dragged over a big grey stone from the bank of the river to mark it.

Whisper sat by the grave as the sun dropped lower in the horizon. Sparrowpelt sent us out to hunt while we waited for her. Wolfshade and I went off into the unfamiliar forest together, being careful not to stray too far from the river.

"It's terrible what happened to Crash," I meowed.

"I know," Wolfshade replied. "Poor Whisper."

"Do you think they were mates?" I meowed.

Wolfshade glanced at me, then looked away.

"I don't know," he said.

We caught two mice, which we brought back to the river bank. Sparrowpelt, Egg, Shiver, and Tattered returned with their own prey. We ate together in silence. Shiver tried to bring Whisper half of a squirrel, but she sent Shiver away, saying she wasn't hungry.

I settled down after I finished my mouse to groom my fur. Wolfshade sat down next to me, and I leaned over against his grey side. I breathed deeply, his sharp scent comforting as it washed over me.

Finally, Whisper slowly rose to her paws. Green eyes dull and tail held low, she padded over to the rest of us. She cast a final glance at Crash's grave, before turning to me.

"Let's go back home," Whisper rasped.


	28. Chapter 27: The Secret

I was waiting impatiently at the base of the cliff with Nightstorm and Brackenstorm. Brackenstorm was up and pacing back and forth along the bottom of the cliff, his white and ginger fur prickling. Nightstorm sat with the entrance to the nursery several fox-lengths directly above him, looking composed, but alert. I was on my feet, tail tip twitching, flexing my claws in and out of the sand.

"How are you doing?" Wolfshade meowed.

I jumped slightly at his mew, snapping out of a thought. Wolfshade padded up to me and bumped his head against mine in greeting.

"I hate waiting," I replied to him. "And, I'm a bit nervous."

"Echosong will be taking good care of them. I'm sure they're fine," Wolfshade said quietly, looking over at me out of the corner of his eyes.

When he gazed at me, his eyes seemed to glow with a soft green light.

My stomach flipped, and I almost felt like I was going to melt under his beauty of his gaze.

"What?" Wolfshade meowed.

"What?" I replied, my eyes widening.

"You had a funny look on your face," he said.

"Oh? Uh, I did?" I meowed, feeling my fur grow hot. "Er—Um. Yeah, it was nothing."

"Really?" Wolfshade purred, tail-tip twitching playfully.

I didn't reply. Instead, I bent my head to give my chest a few swift licks to cover my embarrassment.

But, when I looked back up, Wolfshade was still watching me so intently. His grey-green eyes flickered, flashing all over me as he studied me from my tail to my ears. Despite their breathtaking intensity, there was also a sort of cradling softness to gaze. It tempered the ferocity of their passion, like the gentle sunrise of a foggy morning.

"…What?" I asked, a fluttering feeling appearing in my chest as he stared.

Now it was Wolfshade's turn to blink and recoil slightly in embarrassment.

"I'm… It…" he said, brow furrowing with uncertainty as he closed his mouth.

 _"'It was nothing?'"_ I suggested, a purr building in my throat.

A purr started to rumble in Wolfshade's chest. He blinked slowly at me, his face gentle.

"Yeah," he meowed.

Wolfshade looked away, casting his gaze to the ground, then he turned, rising to his paws.

"See you later, Lightningfire," he meowed, padding off.

"Bye!" I said to his back.

A warm feeling in my chest, I turned away, gazing at the cliff without actually looking at anything. When my vision slowly came back into focus, I noticed that Nightstorm was looking at me with a smirk.

"Oh, put a mouse in it," I muttered to him, my fur prickling with a slight heat.

Nightstorm snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Hello!" a voice called from above our heads.

Echosong's silver-striped head poked out of the entrance of the nursery and peered down at us.

"You three can come up now," she purred, before withdrawing back into the nursery.

Brackenstorm was dashing up the cliff, green eyes sparkling before Echosong even finished talking. Nightstorm cast me a look, excitement brightening his gaze.

"Come on!" he meowed, following our father up the trail.

I was right on his tail, heart thumping with excitement as we climbed quickly up. We slowed as we made it to the entrance to the nursery and slipped quietly inside. I followed Nightstorm to the back of the den, blinking as my eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"Hello," Leafstar purred as we walked up to her.

Brackenstorm was sitting by her head, head held high with pride as Nightstorm and I approached.

"How are you?" Nightstorm said in his deep mew to our mother.

"How are the kits?" I meowed. "Are they doing alright?"

"I'm well, Nightstorm," Leafstar replied. "And, come here, see them for yourselves."

My paws trembled in anticipation as I peered over the edge of Leafstar's nest to see two tiny kits at her belly. There was a dilute tortoiseshell she-cat, her fluffy fur a swirling blend of grey and orange-cream, and a fluffy tom with light brown tabby fur and a white belly and muzzle.

"They're so cute, Mom!" I gasped, looking down at them. "I can't believe it!"

Leafstar purred happily, and Brackenstorm nuzzled her face.

"We're thinking of names for them," she meowed.

"I like Rosekit for her," Brackenstorm meowed, nosing the she-cat.

"Isn't she precious?" he purred.

My little sister let out a fierce squeak when Brackenstorm nuzzled her.

"Rosekit works well. It sure looks like she has thorns," Nightstorm said with a purr of amusement.

"What about him?" I asked, looking down at my little brother.

"We're a bit stuck on him," Leafstar meowed. "I like Twigkit for his light brown fur."

"I am not naming my son 'Twig!'" Brackenstorm protested.

"This is coming from a cat who used to be named _Billy_ storm," Leafstar teased.

"Hey! Billy is a very respectable name by two-leg standards," my father playfully defended himself, looking down at my mother with shining green eyes.

"Well, I suppose I fell in love with you despite your ridiculous name, so I guess _Billy_ can't be all that bad," Leafstar purred.

"Still, _Twig_ is awful," Brackenstorm said, giving Leafstar a bump with his head. "I love you, but it's awful."

"How about Wrenkit?" I meowed, glancing up at them. "His brown and white fur look just like a wren's brown and white feathers."

"I like it," Brackenstorm purred.

"Me too," Leafstar said, purring as well. "Wrenkit and Rosekit. Perfect."

Echosong ushered Nightstorm and I out of the den not long after we decided on the kits' names, saying that Leafstar and our siblings needed to rest. I didn't mind; my heart felt warm and full after seeing my siblings and talking with Wolfshade earlier. I bounded happily into camp, feeling like I had the world at my paws.

I spotted Whisper walking across camp.

"Whisper, hey," I meowed, bounding up to the ginger cat.

"How are you doing?" I asked.

"Alright," she meowed, giving a sad blink.

She shook her head like she didn't want to say anymore.

"Did you see your siblings?" she meowed, changing the subject abruptly.

"Yes," I purred, my eyes shining softly, paws prickling with happiness. "Their names are Wrenkit and Rosekit, and they are so cute."

"I'm happy for you and your family," she purred in reply.

Whisper started to turn away, but then she hesitated, turning back to me.

"Lightningfire, can I tell you something?" she meowed quietly.

"Sure," I meowed, my brow furrowing at the seriousness of her voice.

I felt the contentedness in my chest start to fade.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Will you promise not to tell anyone?" Whisper meowed, her gaze searching mine.

My pelt prickled; the warmth inside me dissipated to be replaced by a cold uncertainty.

"I—I guess," I meowed slowly.

My thoughts whirled in bewilderment.

 _What does she know that is so secretive that I can't tell anyone at all?_

Whisper took a deep breath.

"I think Crash might have been killed by some cat from our old two-leg place," she whispered.

The fur down my spine rose.

"What?" I meowed, my eyes widening. "You saw those wounds. You think a cat could have done that?"

Whisper was silent, her gaze locked with mine.

"We're talking about cats that slashed my throat when I was only a kit younger than a moon old," she meowed. "You have no idea how limitless their cruelty is."

"Isn't SkyClan territory pretty far from this two-leg place?" I asked.

"Well, yes," Whisper meowed. "But, when I moved Crash's body to his grave, I found brown fur between his claws."

"Cat fur?" I meowed quietly, my pelt bristling.

"I couldn't smell cat scent on them," she admitted. "I think the water washed it all away, but foxes and badgers don't have brown fur."

"Dogs do," I pointed out.

"Alright, you have a point," Whisper meowed, giving her tail a lash. "I'm just worried."

"Have you asked Shiver or Tattered about it? What do they think?" I meowed.

"No! They can't know!" Whisper said, whirling on me, her bushy ginger fur bristling. "You can't tell anyone, _especially_ them. If they knew, they'd be terrified. They'd want to run, regardless of if Crash was actually killed by a cat from the city or not."

"Let's speak to Leafstar then," I meowed, angling my ears towards the nursery.

"Your mom just had kits. I can't bother her about this right now," Whisper meowed.

"No, she wouldn't mind," I insisted. "She'd want to help."

Whisper scuffled her paws in the sand.

"Are you sure of that?" she meowed quietly.

"What?" I meowed, my brow furrowing. "Of course."

"You don't think she would kick me and Shiver and Tattered out?" Whisper asked.

"Why would you think that?" I meowed, shaking my head.

"We came from a place with a bunch of very dangerous cats, that might have killed Crash and in doing so, wandered pretty close to SkyClan territory," Whisper pointed out. "Leafstar has a whole Clan to look after, and she just had kits on top of that. Doesn't at least a tiny part of you think that she might see us as a liability? And, that she'd want us gone because of it?"

I froze, my fur prickling.

"Most of your clanmates have been very welcoming, but we haven't been here that long, and even the most welcoming cats don't see me, Shiver, and Tattered as parts of SkyClan. We're still rogues in their eyes, and they're just waiting for the day that we run off, like Crash did…" Whisper's voice trailed off for a heartbeat before she continued. "Even your brother, Nightstorm, has always been cold to us. If the Clan found out that we posed any sort of threat, I think we'd be thrown out."

"My mother wouldn't do that to you," I meowed, but a shadow of doubt crept into my heart.

Whisper's eyes flashed as she picked up on the fraction of hesitation in my voice.

"I trust you, Lightningfire," Whisper meowed. "So, if you trust that Leafstar won't make us leave, then I will tell her."

"I…" I meowed, blinking hard. "…I don't know…I don't want to believe that Leafstar would make you leave."

I sighed, looking down at my paws.

"I know," Whisper meowed, making glance over at her. "But, even if she did make me leave, that wouldn't mean that she was a bad cat. She'd just be trying to protect you, and your family, the cats she cares about the most."

I nodded and turned my gaze back to the ground as I stood in silence for a few moments.

 _What do I do? Whisper and her friends are good cats, I don't want to have to force them to leave. But, can I keep something like this from my friends? From Wolfshade? From Leafstar and the Clan? Would that be breaking the Warrior Code?_

My tail twitched, and I dug my claws into the ground, indecision and frustration gnawing at me.

 _I wish Whisper never told me anything._

"Well?" Whisper meowed, glancing over at me.

 _What if Whisper is completely wrong? There was no other cat scent, no paw-prints. What if it was a dog all along, and the two-leg cats have nothing to do with it? Then this is a harmless secret. Nothing anyone has to know about since it didn't even actually happen._

I made a snap decision.

"I won't tell your secret," I said.


	29. Chapter 28: Kits!

"Watch out!"

Wrenkit took a flying leap at my head from a rock at the base of Rockpile. I ducked his leap, and he sailed harmlessly over my ears.

"Oomph!"

He tumbled through the orange sand. He got up, shaking out his fur, but then he was tackled from behind by Rosekit. The kits rolled over the ground, getting orange sand in their pelts again.

"You have to watch your back when you fight, Wrenkit," I meowed to him, giving a purr of amusement at the look of irritation on his face as he stood and shook the sand out of his fur again.

"Sneak attacks aren't fair, Rosekit!" Wrenkit mewed, turning to Rosekit. "Only rats attack from behind!"

"I'm not a rat!" Rosekit squeaked with a huff.

She shook out her very long, fluffy grey and cream fur.

"I'm being a ShadowClan warrior! We _like_ to sneak in the shadows!" she mewed.

"You're SkyClan! Not ShadowClan! ShadowClan is back in the old forest, mousebrain!" Wrenkit argued, shooting me a glance that said _"Can you believe her?!"_

I purred loudly, watching my little siblings argue with affectionate eyes.

 _It's hard to believe they're already a moon old!_

They still seemed so tiny though. They had such small ears and paws and huge eyes, both green. Although, Wrenkit's eyes were a light grass-green color, while Rosekit's eyes were dark like pine needles.

"Hey, how's the kit watching going?" Wolfshade meowed, walking over to me and touching his muzzle to mine in greeting.

"Good," I said to him. "Ow!"

I winced, turning to pull my tail out of Rosekit's needle-like teeth.

"Don't bite so hard!" I meowed.

Rosekit happily skipped off, unbothered by my scolding.

"Too bad Cherrytail is too busy watching Owlkit, Ripplekit and Adderkit to also keep track of your siblings while Leafstar is out," Wolfshade commented.

"Yeah, Nightstorm and I spent a lot of time with Clovertail when we were kits. Cherrytail is a bit too overwhelmed by her own kits to watch Leafstar's though," I meowed with a purr. "Apparently those three are quite the paw-ful. But, I don't mind watching Wrenkit and Rosekit."

"Really?" Wolfshade asked, sitting down next to me and wrapping his tail around his paws carefully.

I let out a soft purr of amusement as I noticed the movement, knowing how he worries about accidentally stepping on kits.

"Yeah, they're kind of fun," I meowed. "In a ridiculous sort of way."

"Wolfshade!" Wrenkit meowed, bounding up to Wolfshade.

"Will you play with us?" Wrenkit squeaked, blinking up at him.

"Erm," Wolfshade meowed, giving a few hard blinks.

"Please?" Rosekit asked, running over to join Wrenkit to gaze up at Wolfshade.

"Yeah, Wolfshade. Play with them," I purred.

"I, uh, don't know—" Wolfshade began.

"Wow! You're so big!" Rosekit meowed, padding right up to Wolfshade, and circling around him with wide eyes.

Wolfshade carefully tucked his paws more tightly under himself.

"I bet Nightstorm is bigger though," Wrenkit meowed, sticking his tail into the air, and walking up to Wolfshade too.

"He's my brother," Wrenkit boasted, puffing out his chest.

"I know," Wolfshade said.

"Why do you spend so much time with Lightningfire?" Rosekit meowed suddenly, looking up at Wolfshade.

"I like her," Wolfshade replied.

"I like her too," Wrenkit meowed, furrowing his brow. "But, you're always _staring_ at her."

Wolfshade's fur prickled, a look of discomfort plain on his face.

"You better play with them, or they'll never shut up," I teased Wolfshade.

Wolfshade continued to sit in silence, shoulders stiff.

My brow furrowed slightly.

"That's enough," I meowed to Wrenkit and Rosekit.

I rose to my paws to push them away with my muzzle.

"Go play rat attack by Rockpile," I meowed to them.

"Can we climb Rockpile?" Wrenkit gasped, looking back at me.

"Don't go higher than halfway, and don't tell Leafstar," I meowed.

Rosekit and Wrenkit let out squeaks of excitement and dashed over to Rockpile. I turned back to Wolfshade.

"Are you okay?" I meowed to him.

"Yeah," he said, giving his head a shake and rising to his paws. "Sorry. You know I'm not good with kits."

"I shouldn't have let them bother you so much," I said.

"I'm going to go," he meowed, turning away.

"Wait, are you sure you aren't upset?" I meowed.

"I'm fine, Lightning," he meowed, giving a blink over his shoulder before he walked away.

My heart fluttered excitedly at the nickname, but still a slight feeling of uncertainty swirled in my stomach.

I turned back to watch my younger siblings tumble and tackle each other from the Rockpile. I continued to watch them until sun-high, when Leafstar returned to camp from her border patrol and her meeting with Sharpclaw to review the status of the Clan.

"Thanks for watching them, Lightningfire," Leafstar meowed, padding up to me.

"No problem," I meowed with a purr, my siblings climbing all over my sides.

"Leafstar! Wrenkit called me a _rat!"_ Rosekit squeaked, bounding up to our mother.

"I did not!" Wrenkit protested, scrambling off of my side to run up to Rosekit.

"I just said you were _acting_ like one!" Wrenkit mewed smugly.

"Rat this!" Rosekit yowled, springing at him.

Wrenkit squeaked as the two of them went tumbling through the sand again.

"That's enough you two," Leafstar scolded.

They ignored her, continuing to bat and nip at each other.

"StarClan give me patience," Leafstar muttered to herself.

"Alright. Back up to the nursery we go," Leafstar said, nosing my siblings apart and towards the dens.

"Good luck!" I purred to her as she tried to herd them away.

"You and Nightstorm were such easy kits! How will I put up with another 5 moons of this," Leafstar meowed with a sigh over her shoulder, but her eyes glowed softly with love for my siblings.

I gave my mother a sympathetic blink, but I couldn't help letting out a soft purr as I watched my rumbustious siblings walk away. I rose to my paws, stretching and looking around the camp. I saw Whisper padding through camp, bringing in some prey from a patrol. I watched her walk over to the fresh-kill pile, and I felt a sort of coldness settle over me.

I had just been playing with my little siblings. They were fun and cute and tiny, and so, so fragile. Their little lives were perfect right now. They hadn't experienced the pain or the worry or the death that sometimes consumed our lives. I've seen them marvel at Nightstorm's frostbitten ear or Waspwhisker's long scar, wondering at them because their pelts were unblemished, and they couldn't fathom that there could be something so painful that it marks your body forever. I loved Wrenkit and Rosekit, and I wanted, desperately, to _protect_ them from pain and horror and anything that would end with them having scars on their pelts.

A deep gnawing worry filled me.

 _Is keeping her secret a terrible mistake? Am I putting the lives of my clan mates and my little brother and sister at risk by keeping it?_

"Whisper!" I called to the ginger she-cat.

She looked over to me, and I motioned her to come over to where I was by Rockpile, away from any other clan mates.

Whisper padded over to me, and I took a deep breath.

"I'm rethinking my promise to keep your secret," I blurted out.

I saw Whisper stiffen and her fur bristle slightly.

 _Ugh, I could have been more tactful, mousebrain!_

"I mean, I don't want you to have to leave," I meowed quickly. "But, I'm worried."

"Why are you worried?" Whisper meowed with a furrowed brow.

"These cats from the two-leg place seem horrible!" I meowed, blinking at her in confusion. "Why wouldn't I be worried?"

"They won't find us," Whisper meowed, shaking her head.

"How are you sure?" I asked.

"They don't care about you, or SkyClan," Whisper meowed. "Even if a scouting patrol somehow manages to bump into your scent markers, they would just turn back around."

"It's just us, me and Shiver and Tattered. They'd want to kill us, if they found us. They have no quarrel with SkyClan," Whisper said.

My tail tip twitched, still not feeling very reassured.

"Everything is going to be fine," she said, starting to walk away.

"Whisper, wait. I need to know," I meowed, bounding forward and into her path.

She blinked her green eyes at me.

"Just tell me. Is there _any chance at all_ that these cats from the big two-leg place will find our camp?" I meowed, my gaze searching hers. "I have to keep my Clan safe. If you think they could find us… you have to tell me. And, then I'd have to tell the Clan the truth. I'd have to tell Leafstar what you've told me about them."

Whisper hesitated for only a heartbeat.

"No," she said with certainty. "They live more than a day's journey down the river, and then deep into the big two-leg place. They won't stray so far from their territory."

"There are kits here, Whisper. My siblings," I meowed quietly.

"Your family is safe, Lightningfire," Whisper meowed. "Those cats are a part of my old life, and I left them there, in the past."

I nodded slowly, starting to feel better. Whisper touched my shoulder with her tail in a brief gesture of comfort, then padded away. I stayed sitting by Rockpile, staring thoughtfully out into the distance. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Wolfshade walk through camp with a squirrel and two birds clenched in his jaw. I sprung to my paws.

"You're back!" I said, bounding up to Wolfshade.

I studied his face to see if any of the weirdness from before remained, but his expression seemed neutral. Although, I couldn't tell if that was because he was hiding his feelings, or if he was genuinely not upset.

"Yeah," he meowed, nodding to the prey that he dropped on the fresh-kill pile. "I just went for a hunt."

Wolfshade angled his ears to where I had been sitting in the shade of Rockpile a few moments before.

"What were talking with Whisper about?" Wolfshade asked, giving my shoulder a nudge with his muzzle.

I jumped slightly at the question, not realizing that he had seen us. I saw Wolfshade's eyes narrow a fraction as he noticed the movement.

"Er—nothing," I meowed quickly, hoping to cover the suspicious jump. "Whisper was just telling me something. It wasn't anything important."

Wolfshade was quiet, searching my face with his gaze.

 _Is he suspicious? Should I just tell him? What would he do if he knew? Would he be made at me? Would he tell everyone even if I asked him not to?_

A million thoughts whipped around in my head, and I felt a prickling feeling appear in my paws.

"…Alright," Wolfshade meowed finally.

I tightened my jaw to stop myself from sighing with relief.

"But, you would tell me if it was something important, right?" Wolfshade continued, locking his gaze with mine.

"Yeah," I meowed, a feeling of guilt piece a hot claw into my chest as I gave a nod and blinked up at him. "Right."


	30. Chapter 29: The Sunset

"I, Leafstar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn," Leafstar meowed from Rockpile, the sunlight shining down on her sleek tabby pelt.

"This is so exciting!" Rosekit meowed with a small hop by my side.

"Shh. Your Mom is talking," Brackenstorm said, curling his fluffy white tail around Rosekit and Wrenkit.

Leafstar bounded down to stand in front of Creampaw and Seedpaw.

Both of their eyes were shining. Creampaw's long grey tabby and cream fur was carefully groomed. Seedpaw's white and tabby patched short fur was sleek and she stood with her head high. I felt a sort of pride while watching them; a soft warmth glowed in my chest to see how grown up, strong, and confident they looked.

"Creampaw, Seedpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your lives?" Leafstar asked them.

"I do!" Creampaw said first, her blue eyes bright with excitement.

"I do," Seedpaw echoed, sounding a bit calmer than her sister.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names," Leafstar meowed.

"Creampaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Creamclaw," Leafstar meowed to her. "StarClan honors your bravery and enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full member as SkyClan."

Leafstar rested her muzzle on Creamclaw's head. Creamclaw licked her shoulder before withdrawing, her head and tail held high.

"Seedpaw," Leafstar said, turning to the other sister. "From this moment on, you will be known as Seedheart. StarClan honors your loyalty and thoughtfulness, and we welcome you as a full member of SkyClan."

Leafstar touched her muzzle to Seedheart's head, and then Seedheart licked her shoulder before stepping back next to Creamclaw.

"Seedheart! Creamclaw! Seedheart! Creamclaw!" I yowled, raising my voice along with the rest of the Clan.

I noticed Bouncefire's eyes were bright with pride as he cheered for his first apprentice, and he was one of the first to go congratulate the sisters. Their parents Waspwhisker and Fallowfern were close behind, along with their older siblings. I padded up to them too, giving them both a friendly nudge with my muzzle.

"It'll be good to have you two back in the den," I purred to them.

"We were getting awful lonely in the apprentice den all by ourselves," Creamclaw purred.

"Congratulations!" I added, before withdrawing to make room for others.

As I disentangled myself from the crowd, Wolfshade came up to me, having already given his congratulations.

I purred at the sight of him. He sat next to me and I leaned against his shoulder.

"The apprentice den is empty now," he commented.

"Ripplekit, Adderkit, and Owlkit will be six moons old soon enough," I meowed.

I moved my head to bury my face in Wolfshade's shoulder. I breathed in deeply, his scent rushing over me.

"I've got to head out soon. Sharpclaw wants me on the sunset patrol," he meowed.

"Aw," I whined into his fur. "Can't you go for a hunt with me instead? I feel like we haven't gone out together in forever."

"Fine, but you have to be the one to tell Sharpclaw that I'm not going on patrol, so I can hunt with you instead," Wolfshade said with a snort.

"Um…" I said, pulling my face out of his pelt.

I sighed, thinking of the big, dark ginger deputy's unamused and uncompromising eyes.

"Just get someone to take your place on patrol," I said, eyes brightening as I realized if Wolfshade found a replacement for himself, we wouldn't even have to talk Sharpclaw into letting him off.

"Yeah, I guess I could," he said, eyes lightening as he followed my line of thought.

"Hey, Sagewhisker?" I meowed, spotting the grey tom walking across camp as my clan mates dispersed after the warrior's ceremony. "Are you busy?"

"No," he meowed, padding over to me, eyes bright, but then his gaze flickered to Wolfshade and I thought I saw a bit of the spark go out of them.

"What's up?" he meowed, sounding his normal cheerful self as he gave a nod of greeting to me and Wolfshade.

 _I must have imagined it._

"Wolfshade and I want to go hunting," I meowed, tilting my head towards Wolfshade. "But, he's on the evening patrol. Would you mind taking his place?"

Sagewhisker's eyes flickered from Wolfshade and back to me.

"It's totally up to you," I added quickly. "I don't want you to have to go on patrol if you're tired or just don't want to."

"No, it's fine," he said, giving a soft purr. "I'll go."

He looked over at Wolfshade again and gave a nod.

"Have fun on your hunt!" he meowed, turning away and giving a wave of goodbye with his grey tabby tail.

"Thanks!" I said.

"Thanks," Wolfshade echoed in his deep meow.

"See, that was easy," I purred, turning back to Wolfshade.

I leapt to my paws.

"Let's go!" I said, running out of camp before he could even say anything.

Wolfshade ran after me, and as we entered the forest, he lengthened his stride, eating up the ground to catch up to my side, matching his pace to mine. I shot him a challenging look out of the corner of my eye, then I bent over, stretching my long legs out as I doubled my speed, sprinting ahead of him. The wind whipped through my fur, and the sun dappled tree canopies flew by above me. I heard Wolfshade's paw steps behind me. I turned my head and I saw him close behind, his paws flying and his fur slicked back by wind as he ran. I turned my eyes back forward, my chest heaving in great breaths of the sweet new-leaf air. I soared over a fallen tree without breaking stride, then ran through the border of the trees, coming out of the forest and onto the fields above the cliffs of the gorge.

We tore through the tall golden grass, the scent of honeysuckle in my nose and the heat of the sun on my back. Wolfshade had caught up to me now, and he ran at my side, disappearing and reappearing in the fronds of the grass. I turned slightly, climbing the big hill on the field. I slowed as we crested the hill, finally coming to a stop at the top of it. Wolfshade padded up to my side. I panted as we looked out over our territory. In front of us, the fields stretched on for a while longer before ending at the two-leg place.

I turned, and behind me, the fields rolled until it reached the gorge. I could see the jutting of Skyrock, then beyond that the top of the cliffs on the other side of the gorge, topped with trees, and the setting sun behind them.

I sighed, closing my eyes, and letting it all wash over me.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Wolfshade murmured.

I opened my eyes and looked over at him. He gazed out over our territory, his green eyes sparkling and full of the reflection of light from the setting sun. His head was held high and his long fur blew in the new-leaf breeze. His face was creased with a solemn wonder as his gaze scoured the land.

"Yeah it is," I meowed softly, gazing at him.

He looked over at me. Our gazes met, and he purred, stepping forward to press his cheek to mine.

"You look so beautiful, in the setting sunlight," he murmured softly to me before pulling his head back.

He looked so shy after he said those words, ears pricked in an hesitantly hopeful expression as he gazed at me, waiting for my response.

My heart was hammering in my chest. Standing here, with him on this beautiful day, I couldn't imagine anything more perfect. I felt like I could fly. I wanted to tell him how I felt. How my heart ached when we were apart. How just the brush of his fur against my fur sent lightning bolts across my skin. How all I wanted was to lose myself forever in his beautiful eyes.

How all I wanted was him.

"Wolfshade, I…" I meowed.

His eyes flickered to mine, and I couldn't get the words out.

I stepped forward, burying my face in his fur. I closed my eyes and just breathed.

"…Thank you," was all I managed.

"Let's watch the sunset," he meowed.

"Alright," I said taking my face out of his fur.

"No. Let's get a better view," he said with a soft purr. "I know the perfect tree for it.

Wolfshade led me back to the forest. He walked purposely though the trees, finally coming to a stop at a tall pine.

I let out a short purr of laughter when I recognized it.

"Really?" I purred.

"You probably remember it from our first hunt together," Wolfshade meowed.

"The tree we caught the squirrel in during my hunting assessment. I remember," I purred.

"Funny. I never thought of you as so sentimental, Wolfshade" I added teasingly.

"This tree also happens to be the best tree to watch the sunset from in the whole forest," Wolfshade meowed, ignoring my teasing for the most part, but I could hear a faint purr in his voice.

"I'll show you," he meowed, starting to scale it.

I followed him up the trunk. I watched him climb, admiring how he moved so effortlessly up the trunk, and how he leapt from branch to branch with ease despite his large size. We climbed very high, higher than I've ever climbed before, breaking through the tops of the canopies of the other shorter trees that surrounded the pine. I turned my head while my claws still clung to the trunk, looking over my shoulder to see the setting sun behind me. I wasn't sure where Wolfshade was taking me. The branches here were questionably thin; I wasn't sure if they would be able to support our weights.

"Almost there," Wolfshade called from above me.

I turned back towards the trunk and continued to climb. Wolfshade only went up a few more tail lengths before disappearing suddenly in the shadows on the trunk. I blinked in surprise, then his head poked back out of a hole in the tree trunk that I hadn't noticed before. I climbed up to him, entering the hollow of the trunk. It was dark and cozy inside. A soft moss grew on the floor and up the walls, and there was just enough room for me and Wolfshade to sit side by side. When I turned around to look out of the hole, I could see a great expanse of green leaves stretching out in front of me. The sun was setting, dipping into the sea of shadowed green leaves below, and, above, the sky was a swirling blend of purples and reds.

"Holy StarClan," I whispered, eyes widening at the magnificent sight.

"I found this hollow about a moon ago, when I chased a squirrel all the way up this tree," Wolfshade meowed.

"I lost the squirrel," he admitted. "But, I stumbled across this. I don't think anyone else knows about it. I've been wanting to show you, but we've both been so busy."

Warmth blossomed in my chest, thrumming through me from my nose to my tail. I almost couldn't believe how great he was, and how lucky I was. He found this stunning place, and he wanted to show it to _me_.

"It's amazing, Wolfshade. Thank you," I meowed, tearing my gaze away from the sunset to look at him.

"I'm glad you like it," he purred.

I blinked up at him, happiness drumming in my chest as strongly as my heart.

 _I love it._

I leaned against his side, twining his tail with mine. Then we turned back and watched the sun dip beneath the trees together.


	31. Chapter 30: Whispering Cave

I padded out of the warrior's den, the stars and the half moon shining above me. I had awaken with my mouth dry with thirst, so I had slipped out to make a quick walk to the stream. I didn't even have to worry about waking Wolfshade since he wasn't in the nest. He had the first shift of guard duty on Skyrock tonight.

I walked down to the stream, bending to lap up a few mouthfuls of the cool water from a slow moving area. I sighed as the sweet, cool taste soothed my tongue. I raised my head, whiskers sparkling with droplets in the moonlight, and licked the last few bits of the water off of my lips. I watched as the ripples caused from my drinking dissipated, and the water stilled for a moment. I saw my reflection staring back a me, the stars framing around her head. I blinked and recoiled slightly. My reflection blinked her amber eyes back at me, and recoiled as I did.

 _It's just you, mouse-brain._

I guess I found the sight of my face startling since I'm used to always seeing the faces of others.

I snorted, giving my head an embarrassed shake, and my reflection did the same, her orange and brown tabby face rippling with the small waves of the water. My ears prickled at the sound of paws, and my eyes drifted up and away from the water.

I saw Echosong padding along the on the other side of the stream, close to the other cliff.

My brow furrowed in confusion for a moment at the sight of her before I remembered.

 _Oh. It's a half moon. She shares tongues with StarClan tonight._

I watched her for a moment longer, curiosity prickling at my pelt. Then I rose to my paws, about to return to the den, when another flicker of movement caught my eye.

There was a cat following Echosong along the trail. I froze, my pelt prickling. I could just barely see the outline of his pale pelt in the shadows.

 _Who are you?_

A shiver of fear ran up my spine.

 _What if it's a cat from the two-leg place? The one that killed Crash?_

I almost yowled for help before I caught myself, giving my head a shake.

 _Or, it's a curious clan mate. Calm down._

I took a deep breath, deciding to go investigate. I padded to the stepping stones. Echosong and the mystery cat had already disappeared around the corner of the cliff. My paws prickled with urgency, but I forced myself to move slowly and carefully as I leapt from one slippery stone to the other. I reached the other side of the stream without incident, now standing on a narrow, twisting, wet path.

I walked along the path at a measured pace.

 _Warriors aren't allowed here without a medicine cat escort,_ a thought whispered in my mind.

 _I'm making sure the medicine cat is safe,_ I argued back with myself.

I turned around the corner of the cliff. I could see the cat with the pale pelt several fox-lengths ahead of me. He was standing by the mouth of the Whispering Cave. He turned his head to look at me.

My brow furrowed.

It was too dark and he was too far away for me to make out his features. But, I couldn't help having a creeping feeling that I'd seen him before. There was something about the shape of his head, the silhouette of his ears in the moonlight, the paleness of his grey and white pelt.

 _How do I know him?_

He turned and vanished into the Whispering Cave.

"Hey, stop!" I yowled.

I dashed after him, paws sliding on the narrow, treacherous trail. I slipped, slithering towards the edge of the trail.

Heart pounding, I scrambled back to my feet, the dark, rapidly moving river only a tail length way from my muzzle. Digging my claws into the ground for extra grip, I continued quickly forward.

When I reached the mouth of the Whisper Cave, I froze for a heartbeat.

There was only darkness inside of the yawning mouth. It was different from the darkness of the dens back in camp. That sort of darkness was warm and cozy, like the press of a comforting pelt. This darkness felt cold and threatening. I could feel a cool wind blow out of the cave and stir my whiskers. I swallowed, steading myself, then I slipped inside.

I followed the path through the cave, letting my whiskers guide me through tunnel, since my eyes were useless. I felt my chest tighten as I walked farther and farther in, and still there was no sign of it ending.

Then, so faintly at first I thought I was imagining it, I saw a yellow glow. It shone brighter as I continued forward, then, blinking I stepped into a small cavern. A chill of awe ran up my spine as I took in the sight before me.

The walls and ground were covered in a yellow moss that sparkled and shone like yellow stars. Clumps of it hung down from the ceiling, where water also dripped down, forming a couple of puddles on the ground.

Echosong was curled up on a patch of dry moss, eyes shut and contentedly asleep. My gaze drifted up, and I saw the grey-and-white cat.

He stood behind Echosong, regarding me calmly with pale blue eyes that glowed with the yellow light around us.

"Who are you?" I whispered. "What do you want?"

He blinked then his pelt grew transparent, and he simply vanished.

 _What?!_

The fur on my shoulders rose, and I looked from side to side, even turning all the way around to check behind me, but he was gone. I shook my head, my eyes wide as my thoughts raced widely.

"Lightningfire? What are you doing here?"

I turned to see Echosong blinking awake, peering curiously up at me.

"I saw a cat following you here. So, I followed him. But, when I got here, I saw him just vanish right into the air!" I meowed.

I shook my head.

"I don't understand it."

Echosong looked at me with an intensely curious gaze.

"It sounds like you saw a StarClan warrior," she meowed.

"I know normal cats don't just vanish," I meowed, my brow furrowing. "But, that doesn't make sense either. Why would I see a StarClan warrior?"

Echosong hesitated. She opened her mouth like she was going to say something, but then she closed it again.

"StarClan works in mysterious ways," she meowed finally. "Or, perhaps they were just feeling restless this half moon."

"Did you dream about something like this tonight?" I meowed to her slowly.

 _What was that hesitation about?_

"No," she said, giving her head a small shake. "Let's get back to camp."

Echosong rose to her paws.

"If StarClan has something to tell you, you'll know it in due time," she added, padding past me.

I narrowed my eyes slightly at her comment.

 _She knows more than she's letting on._

But, I didn't say anything as I followed her out of the Whispering Cave. We walked back into camp in silence. Echosong appeared distracted, with a look of thoughtful concentration on her face. She seemed to barely watch where she put her paws on the narrow, slippery path. I watched her intently. Half wondering what she was thinking, and half worried that she was going to fall into the river. Thankfully, we made it back down the trail and across the stream without incident.

"Will I get in trouble for going to Whispering Cave without a medicine cat escort?" I asked as we padded through camp.

Echosong blinked, turning to me, and her gaze focused like she was coming back to herself.

"I think we can make an exception for you this time," she meowed with a soft purr of amusement.

"Goodnight, Lightningfire," Echosong meowed, turning and walking into her den.

"Goodnight," I meowed to her back.

I heard a rustle at the edge of the camp, and I turned to see Whisper push her way through the undergrowth with two sparrows and a mouse in her jaws.

"Hey, Lightningfire!" Whisper meowed, waving her tail at me as she dropped her prey off at the fresh-kill pile.

"Hey, Whisper," I meowed, as the deep ginger she-cat padded over to me. "You're up late."

"I was on a night hunt," she meowed.

She took a deep breath and sat down next to me.

"I'm glad I bumped into you, though," she meowed. "I wanted to tell you that I've been thinking about it more, and I think I was just being paranoid."

"What do you mean?" I asked, tilting my head at her.

"Losing Crash really messed me up," she meowed quietly. "But, now that it's been almost three moons since he died, I realized just how unlikely it is that he was killed by the cats from the big two-leg place."

"We've seen no trace of strange cats at SkyClan borders or in the territory. Everything has been peaceful, and you were right about Crash's death too," Whisper continued. "It doesn't seem likely that he could have been killed by a cat."

"Well I'm glad that you think everything is safe," I meowed to Whisper, feeling relief lift a weight from across my shoulders.

Whisper nodded. For the first time since Crash's death, I saw contentedness on her face.

"Goodnight, Lightningfire," Whisper meowed, giving a wave of her tail as she padded off.

Wolfshade, having finished his shift as night guard, passed Whisper as she headed to the dens. He padded over in my direction, spotting me in camp.

"Why are you up so late?" he said, walking up to me. "I saw that you were talking with Whisper."

He paused for a moment.

"Having secret night conversations?"

I felt the fur on the back of my neck prickle at the slight edge in his tone.

"Whisper's a good cat. I just like to talk with her, and it just happened that we were both still up," I said, doing my best to keep my mew neutral and steady.

I wasn't sure how to explain my exchange with Echosong from earlier to him.

"I've noticed that you do talk to her a lot," Wolfshade meowed. "But, the conversations tend to end awfully quickly when anyone walks up to you."

I sighed, a thousand feelings swirling all at once in my chest—guilt, anger, annoyance.

"Just tell me what you mean, Wolfshade," I meowed.

"What are you keeping from me?" he asked, turning to look me in the eyes. "And, please don't lie to me."

My gaze flickered down, the feeling of guilt growing to gnaw at my bones.

For a moment, I seriously considered telling him.

But, then I remembered the look of fragile peace that I saw on Whisper's face, and how that would quickly shatter if my clan mates found out her secret.

"Whisper asked me not to tell," I meowed finally.

"I knew there was something," Wolfshade meowed with a sigh.

I didn't look at his face, but I could hear the hurt in his voice.

"I'm sorry," I meowed, digging my claws into the ground.

"You can't tell me?" he asked.

"She asked me not to tell _anyone._ She's my friend. I can't just betray her trust like that," I meowed.

"But, it's me, Lightningfire," Wolfshade said, his gaze searching mine. "I'm not just any cat."

I felt a small prickle of annoyance at the hypocrisy of his comment.

"Fine. I'll tell you. If you tell me what's going on with you," I meowed back, my tail tip giving a twitch.

"What?" he meowed, his brow furrowing. "What are you talking about?"

"Some times you just act _weird_ ," I meowed in exasperation. "Like that time when I was watching Wrenkit and Rosekit. You just suddenly get all broody and quiet, then you won't tell me what you're thinking."

"And, you're a broody cat, but I mean, more than usual," I added.

Wolfshade's fur fluffed up, flushing with heat.

"That—that doesn't have anything to do with you. And, it's behind me anyways. Don't worry about it," he meowed.

"And, Whisper's secret doesn't have anything to do with you. And, it also happens to me behind _me_ ," I said back.

Wolfshade's ears flattened, and he looked away. His expression was unusually open, and he looked upset and vulnerable.

"I'd like to help you, okay? Look. I like you a lot, Lightning. That's all," Wolfshade meowed.

My ears flattened, and I felt my chest tightening. Emotion suddenly welled in my heart, and I felt my stomach flip at the sadness in his voice.

"Wolfshade. Wait. I—" I opened my mouth to say more, but before I could, Wolfshade got to his paws and walked away, climbing up into the warrior's den alone.


	32. Chapter 31: Sooty

It was a warm day, and I just had come back from hunting. The prey was running well, and the hunt had been enjoyable. Nightstorm was on my patrol, and we had a competition to see who could catch the most prey. He got two mice, a thrush, and a starling, while I got a squirrel, a pheasant, and a little song bird. I tried to argue that the pheasant was so big that it should count for both of his mice, but he wasn't having it and proclaimed himself the winner.

I purred softly to myself thinking about it.

 _But, I wish Wolfshade had been there too_.

Wolfshade had been giving me the cold shoulder for the past few sunrises. Every time we talked, it felt tense and awkward. He still slept next to me, but he'd vanish from the nest every morning before I woke up.

I sighed heavily, determined to talk to him today.

I only had to wait by the fresh-kill pile for a few heartbeats longer before I saw him across the camp.

"Wolfshade!" I meowed, running over to him.

Wolfshade stopped, turning to me, ears pricked. I was relieved to see that, although he was a bit tense, he didn't look upset, but rather happy to see me.

"Please, can we talk? I hate that we're fighting like this," I meowed to him.

Wolfshade relaxed, his tail raising in a hesitantly hopeful gesture.

"Me too," he meowed. "I've been doing some thinking."

"Me too!" I meowed back excitedly. "I want us to make up."

"So you'll tell me what it is then?" he asked.

I blinked in surprise at his sudden question, pulling back slightly.

 _This wasn't where I thought this was going._

"Oh," I said, my heart dropping. "I, um, wasn't…"

"…You weren't going to tell me?" Wolfshade meowed, his tail slowly drooping.

"I thought we could just move pass this," I meowed, almost pleadingly.

"Can't you see this is about more than just whatever Whisper told you about?" Wolfshade asked, raising his voice slightly in anger.

"We shouldn't keep secrets from each other," he said, his eyes flashing.

"You say that, but you never told me what has been upsetting you! Can't you see how hypocritical you're being?" I asked.

"I—I," Wolfshade said, struggling with the words. "I was having a problem, but I got over it. What it was doesn't matter."

"Then why can't you tell me?" I challenged.

"We don't have to know the complete and utter inner workings of each other's minds!" Wolfshade hissed. "The point is, we just need to be able to _trust_ each other."

"Wolfshade, don't be like this," I meowed, flattening my ears as my anger dripped away in me replaced by sadness. "Whisper is my friend."

"She's your _friend,_ Lightning _._ And, that makes me your… what?" Wolfshade asked in a rumbling voice, bringing his eyes up to meet mine.

I blinked hard. I opened my jaws but no sound came out.

Wolfshade's tail dropped, and his ears flattened like there was suddenly a heavy weight on his back.

"Yeah. Come get me, Lightningfire, when you can answer that question," Wolfshade meowed, his voice rough with sadness as he turned and walked away.

"Wait—no. I didn't mean—!" I meowed, scrambling after him.

Wolfshade didn't look back.

"Wolfshade!" I said.

He didn't turn. I took a few steps before coming to a stop, and I stood still as he strode away. Giving a frustrated hiss, I lashed my tail and dug my claws into the dirt.

 _Fine. Be that way, mouse-brain._

"Lightningfire!"

I turned towards the sound of my name to see Leafstar padding over to me.

"I need you to help Creamclaw with changing the elder's bedding," she meowed.

"Are you serious?" I grumbled, lashing my tail.

"Yes. Our Clan doesn't have any apprentices right now," Leafstar meowed, narrowing her eyes at me. "Are you all right?"

"Fine. And, I'm fine," I meowed, whipping around and bounding up to the elder's den.

Creamclaw was already there, pulling the old moss out of Tangle and Lichenfur's nests. The den was empty besides for her. The elders were out enjoying the sunshine. I padded over to her side and started to help her.

"I thought I finished having to do this moons ago," I complained as ripped the moss off the bottom of the den.

"Well don't complain to me about it," Creamclaw mumbled around her mouthful of moss. "Complain to the queens. They're the ones that should have been having kits six moons ago!"

I snorted in amusement, pulled out of my dark cloud for a moment. We continued to work in silence for a while. I padded out of the den with a mouthful of dirty moss, carrying it down into camp, when I caught a whiff of unfamiliar cat scent. I turned my head and spotted a small, fluffy light grey tom padding into camp behind Ebonyclaw. His amber eyes were wide as he gazed around the camp and all of my clanmates, and he moved closer to Ebonyclaw. I dropped the dirty moss off, bounding over to them.

"Hello," I meowed to the grey tom, giving Ebonyclaw a nod of greeting too.

"Hello," he meowed back shyly.

"My name is Lightningfire," I said, curiosity prickling at me. "Who are you?"

"His name is Sooty," Ebonyclaw answered for him. "He moved to the house next to me with his house-folk just a moon or so ago."

"Ebonyclaw has told me about you. I mean not you," Sooty stammered quickly, eyes widening. "SkyClan, I mean."

I purred with amusement at the flustered young cat.

"He wants to train as an apprentice and be a daylight warrior," Ebonyclaw meowed.

"Really?" I said, my eyes brightening. "That's great, Sooty!"

"Thank you, I guess?" Sooty meowed with a soft purr.

"You'll fit right in," I said, before looking to Ebonyclaw. "Have you spoken to Leafstar?"

"Not yet, I'm taking him there right now," Ebonyclaw meowed.

"She's your leader, right?" Sooty meowed.

"Yeah. And, my mother," I meowed.

"Your mother?" Sooty said, his eyes widening as he looked at me, suddenly seeming very nervous.

"Don't worry," I purred with a blink. "Luck for you, she's just as friendly as me."

"It's the deputy, Sharpclaw, that you have to worry about," I whispered, flicking my tail to indicate the huge dark ginger tabby on the other side of the camp.

Sooty's eyes widened even more at the sight of Sharpclaw.

"Lightningfire, you're making him nervous!" Ebonyclaw said.

I purred.

"I'm sorry; I'm just teasing. I'll take you to my mother. I think she's in the nursery with my siblings," I meowed, turning and flicking my tail to indicate them to follow.

I climbed up to the nursery, keeping a close eye on Sooty on the trail. Despite his slightly nervous way of talking, his paws were confident on the side of the cliff. I slipped into the nursery, blinking as my eyes adjusted to the dim light.

 _"Lightningfire!"_

A bundle of five kits hurled themselves at me as I came inside, bouncing around my legs and throwing themselves at my sides.

"Hello kits," I purred, delicately stepping around them.

"Are you here to play with us?" Owlkit meowed, crouching down and baring her teeth at me in a tiny snarl. "I've gotten really strong!"

"Not as strong as me!" Adderkit proclaimed, whirling on Owlkit and leaping at her.

They started to scuffle on the moss covered floor.

"I actually have to speak with Leafstar," I meowed.

"Will you play with us afterwards?" Rosekit chirped, rearing back on her hindlegs and pressing her forepaws to my shoulder.

"Maybe," I purred as Sooty and Ebonyclaw came into the nursery behind me.

"Who are you? I don't know your scent," Wrenkit meowed, tilting his head at Sooty.

"My name is Sooty," he said.

"That's funny. You're missing half of your name" Rosekit said, wrinkling her nose.

"Are you from the two-leg place?" Ripplekit meowed in a soft, curious voice.

"Yeah," Sooty replied blinking down at him.

"Come in," Leafstar meowed from the back of the den, looking over at me, Sooty, and Ebonyclaw.

"And, you five come here," Cherrytail meowed to the kits. "Don't bother Leafstar while she's talking to Sooty."

Ebonyclaw took the lead as we padded into the back of the den.

"Hello, Leafstar. This is Sooty; the cat I was telling you about a few sunrises ago," Ebonyclaw meowed.

"Yes. I remember," Leafstar purred, blinking warmly at Sooty. "You would like to train to be a daylight warrior?"

"Yes," Sooty meowed, raising his chin bravely. "I want to be able to hunt and fight like you guys."

"How old are you?" Leafstar asked him.

"Eight moons," he replied.

"Apprentices begin training at six moons, so you have a bit of catching up to do, but I'm sure you'll be on track in no time," Leafstar meowed.

"Apprentices learn to hunt and fight, and they do chores around the camp. All the while learning about the warrior code," Leafstar continued. "Do you think you'll be able to dedicate yourself to SkyClan like that?"

Sooty looked a tad overwhelmed, but he still nodded his head with certainty.

"Good," Leafstar meowed with a pleased nod.

"You will still be able to go back to your house-folk during the nights," she added.

I blinked at my mother's use of a kitty-pet word. She turned to me.

"Did you bring Sooty here with Ebonyclaw so you wouldn't have to change the elder's bedding?" Leafstar meowed teasingly.

"That wasn't my intention," I replied with a purr. "But, it would make a good first apprentice task for him."

"We'll have to have your apprentice ceremony first," Leafstar meowed to Sooty. "And, you'll get a mentor."

"I was wondering if maybe I could be his mentor," Ebonyclaw meowed, taking a step forward.

"You are still responsible for Tattered's training," Leafstar pointed out.

"They are adult cats. And, good hunters and fighters. I've already taught him the warrior code as best as I can. They don't need any more training," Ebonyclaw meowed.

"Perhaps it is time for me to speak to them about becoming full warriors then," Leafstar meowed, half to herself. "Still, I would like to assign Sooty to another cat."

Ebonyclaw dipped her head in acceptance to Leafstar.

"Tinycloud has been a warrior for a while and has not had an apprentice yet," Leafstar meowed. "She'll be a good mentor for Sooty."

"We'll have your apprentice ceremony in a little while," Leafstar said, turning to Sooty. "For now, have Ebonyclaw show you around camp and meet some of your new clan mates."

"Thank you!" Sooty meowed, his eyes bright with excitement.

I turned with Sooty and Ebonyclaw, going to leave the den.

"Lightningfire," Leafstar meowed softly.

I turned back to her, my tail curled in a questioning gesture.

"Are you doing okay? You seemed upset earlier," Leafstar asked.

My brow furrowed, a prickle of irritation running up my spine at her prodding.

"I'm fine, Mom," I meowed, but I felt a small jab in my chest as an image of Wolfshade appeared in my head.

"Alright," Leafstar meowed, not sounding entirely convinced.

I turned and walked out of the den.

"Wait aren't you going to play with us?" Rosekit meowed to my back.

"Later," I promised, giving a tail wave of goodbye to the kits.

At the base of the cliff, I let Sooty and Ebonyclaw head off to take a tour of the camp.

I spotted Wolfshade's dark pelt across the camp. I hesitated for a moment, feeling my stomach clench, before I took a deep breath and padded over to him.

"Hey," I said softly.

His ears pricked, and he rotated one over towards me. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, but didn't turn his head to me.

"Have you seen Sooty?" I asked, gesturing with my tail towards the young cat. "He's going to start training. He wants to be a day-light warrior. I guess that solves our lack of apprentices problem."

Wolfshade continued to be quiet.

I was silent for a moment, waiting for him to reply.

"Come on, Shade. Talk to me," I meowed plaintively to him.

"I've already said my part," he rumbled.

"Why are you being like this?" I said, my ears flattening.

"I could ask you the same thing," he meowed softly.

"I've already told you why," I meowed. "Whisper asked me not to tell."

"And, I thought we wouldn't keep important things from each other," Wolfshade said.

"You aren't being fair," I meowed softly. "I'm not doing this to hurt you. I'm just trying to help Whisper."

Wolfshade was quiet.

"I just need some space for a bit, Lightningfire," Wolfshade meowed finally.

I nodded. Then I got to my paws and walked away.


	33. Chapter 32: Warriors

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather under Rockpile for a Clan meeting!" Leafstar yowled from her perch on the very top of Rockpile.

I turned to face my mother as cats bounded into camp and climbed down the cliffs from the dens. Rosekit and Wrenkit had been tumbling around in front of me, but they straightened without prompting, both turning to face our mother. I purred softly, gazing down at them with warmth. They both were getting so big. My gaze drifted up and I saw Sootypaw run over to his mentor, Tinycloud. He hasn't been training for very long, but he already was fitting well into clan life. And, he went about his apprentice duties with enthusiasm.

 _Which means no more moss duty for me. Ever._

I saw Wolfshade walk into camp, returning from a patrol with Petalnose, Creekfeather, Harveymoon, and Lionclaw. My stomach twisted at the sight of him, and I straightened sharply. His eyes flickered to mine for only a fraction of a heartbeat before he quickly looked away, instead padding over to the gathering group of cats to take a seat.

 _Please. Let me back inside your heart._

Wolfshade was never rude to me or cruel. But, he's been keeping a quiet distance between us and that seemed to hurt worse than any claws or sharp words could.

As he padded through the crowd, I saw Minttail gazing over at him as he walked in her direction. My claws slid out, and I dug them into the dirt as a startling ferocious wave of jealousy rushed over me.

 _He wouldn't._

To my relief, Wolfshade took a seat next to his brother, Bouncefire, and Plumwillow, not even casting Minttail a glance.

I let out a soft sigh, feeling myself deflate a bit.

"Today marks a very important occasion," Leafstar meowed, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I turned to look up at her.

"Tattered, Whisper, and Shiver have been living with us for a little more than four moons, and during that time, they've been great assets in hunting. They've practiced battle training, and they've learned the warrior code," Leafstar meowed. "They have proven that they are capable, loyal cats, who are able to dedicate themselves to SkyClan. They have earned the title of warriors."

There were some murmurs from the cats around me.

"We still know next to nothing about them," Nightstorm muttered from a few tail lengths to my left.

Leafstar barreled along with the ceremony, not bothering to address the quiet murmurs of dissent.

"I, Leafstar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these cats. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn," she meowed.

She looked down at Whisper, Shiver, and Tattered, who stood in the center of camp.

"Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your lives?" Leafstar asked.

"I do," Whisper replied.

"I do," Shiver and Tattered echoed.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Whisper, from this moment you will be known as Whisperheart. Shiver, from this moment you will be known as Iceshiver. Tattered, from this moment you will be known as Tatteredtail. StarClan honors your bravery and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warriors of SkyClan," Leafstar meowed.

She bounded down from Rockpile and rested her muzzle on Whisperheart's head. Whisperheart licked her shoulder. Iceshiver and Tatteredtail did the same when Leafstar rested her muzzle on them.

"Whisperheart! Iceshiver! Tatteredtail!" I yowled, starting the cheer.

Many other cats joined in, but I noticed a few were silent. I glanced over a Nightstorm. He wasn't cheering, until I narrowed my eyes at him and he reluctantly raised his voice to join in.

As the cheering came to an end, I got to my paws to walk over to the new warriors. I pressed my pelt against Whisperheart.

"Congratulations guys," I purred to them. "You deserve it."

"Thanks," Tatteredtail rumbled in his classic deep, grumpy meow, but I could hear an edge of pride to it.

"Yeah. You've believed in us since the beginning," Iceshiver agreed.

"Thank you, Lightningfire," Whisperheart meowed, turning to look at me.

Our eyes met.

"For everything," she added softly.

I dipped my head to her.

"I'm sure you all will make fine warriors," I said.

I turned and almost bumped into Wolfshade as he was walking over to congratulate the new warriors.

Our eyes met and I saw his pawstep falter.

"Wolfshade," I said.

He closed his eyes for a moment, his brow furrowed. He sighed before he opened his eyes and continued to walk forward, brushing by me. I closed my eyes, feeling my heart ache in my chest. I dug my claws into the ground, feeling like I couldn't move at all.

I forced myself forward, tearing myself away from him. I padded out of the main crowd and spotted a group of cats to the side. I noticed Sagewhisker and Nightstorm in the group, so I padded over to them.

"Hey, Lightningfire" Sagewhisker greeted me, his light green eyes brightening.

His grey tabby brow furrowed when he saw my face.

"Are you okay?" he meowed softly as I took a seat nearby him.

"Fine," I replied curtly, not making eye contact.

I turned to look at Nightstorm who was meowing to the group.

"Does everyone think that allowing the three of them to join SkyClan is a good idea?" Nightstorm said.

"They've completed their training and seem like good cats. There is no reason not to make them warriors," Sparrowpelt replied.

"I don't like it," Shrewtooth cut in.

He twitched his skinny tail and shot a nervous glance over his shoulder.

"Have you seen how ragged Tatteredtail's pelt is?" Shrewtooth meowed in a hushed tone. "He didn't get those scars by acting _like a good cat_."

"Leafstar says that SkyClan cannot survive alone. That we must welcome visitors and new clan-mates," Sagewhisker meowed.

He looked around at the group of cats.

"Where would any of us be if SkyClan rejected us based on our origins?" Sagewhisker asked.

Nightstorm flicked his torn ear, and I saw a hint of annoyance creep across his face.

"I'm not suggesting that we turn away _everyone_ ," Nightstorm meowed.

He swept a sharp gaze over the cats around us, before resting his eyes on Sagewhisker.

"We just can't be _stupid_ about it. Shrewtooth had a point about Tatteredtail. What do we know about these cats' past? Where they're from? Anything at all?" Nightstorm asked, moving his gaze from Sagewhisker to look at everyone in the group.

I felt a small twitch of guilt in my chest, but I remained silent as no cat spoke up to answer Nightstorm's question.

"He's got a point," Plumwillow muttered.

"They've been helpful," Sparrowpelt argued. "And, cats should be judged based on their actions in the present, rather than the past."

"That seems awfully short-sighted, Sparrowpelt," Nightstorm meowed.

I tensed in surprise as Nightstorm so boldly addressed the senior warrior.

"I don't think that we can trust them," Nightstorm added with a tail twitch.

"Lightningfire," Clovertail meowed, turning to me. "You've spent a lot of time with them. What do you think?"

I felt a surge of annoyance, probably a mixture of anger at myself from the guilt I was carrying and anger at my stressful day and Wolfshade.

"Isn't it obvious?" I snapped. "I think that Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver are warriors of SkyClan now. And, that everyone should stop being a stupid mouse-brain."

Clovertail had a startled look on her face as she gazed at me, her eyes wide.

"Sorry," I muttered, casting my gaze to the ground as I immediately felt guilty for snapping at her.

I got to my paws and padded away from the group, heading up to the dens to lie down for a while.

"She's just a bit stressed right now," I heard Sagewhisker say in my defense to Clovertail from behind me.

My tail twitched at his comment.

 _I don't need your help, Sagewhisker!_

"Lightningfire, can I talk to you?" Leafstar meowed, interrupting my fuming.

I froze, turning to look at her. She cast a pointed glance at Clovertail before looking back to me. I let out a sigh before turning around and slowly padding over to her.

"What's wrong?" Leafstar asked me.

I clenched my jaw in broody silence, not replying.

"What's going on?" she insisted. "I've noticed that you and Wolfshade haven't been speaking much lately. What happened?"

"Nothing," I muttered.

"Clovertail asked you one question, and you practically chewed her ears off!" Leafstar meowed.

"Does it matter?" I snapped. "I promised that no argument would effect my duties to the Clan. And, this argument hasn't. Being grumpy isn't breaking the warrior code."

"Lightningfire, I'm speaking to you as your mother, not as your leader," Leafstar meowed quietly. "I want to help."

I sighed, feeling my anger drain out of me.

"Your father and I definitely had our share of fights when we were younger," Leafstar said to me. "But, we made it through, and now we couldn't be happier. I know you really like Wolfshade. Don't throw away something great because of an argument. It may seem like a big deal now, but, trust me, it's so tiny and unimportant in the long run."

I was quiet, shuffling my paws in the dirt.

"And, you've got to remember that toms are dumb," Leafstar said with a purr. "They can't help how mouse-brained they are some times."

I gave a soft snort of amusement, then I heaved a sigh, still staring down at the ground.

"But, what if it's my fault?" I meowed quietly.

"Then apologize," Leafstar meowed.

"I don't know if he'll forgive me," I said, still staring at my paws.

"Lightningfire," Leafstar said, drawing my gaze from the ground up to her. "Just talk to him."

My tail tip twitched.

"Don't let him slip away because of your stubbornness," Leafstar meowed.

"I'm not stubborn," I snapped, knowing fully well it was a lie.

"Good. Talk to him today then," she meowed.

"Maybe not today…" I meowed sheepishly.

"Fine. Then you're going on patrol," Leafstar said, her eyes flashing. "With Bouncefire. And Wolfshade."

"Mom!" I meowed in exasperation. "Don't meddle in my problem!"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just assigning a patrol," Leafstar meowed, her eyes glinting as she rose to her paws and padded away from me.

"I'll tell Bouncefire and Wolfshade," Leafstar meowed over her shoulder. "Leave at sun-high."


	34. Chapter 33: The Patrol

The three of us walked along in silence. I was on one side of Bouncefire and Wolfshade was on the other. I shot a glance over at Wolfshade. He had his gaze fixed ahead. I turned my eyes back forward, staring straight ahead too. We continued to travel through the forest, the only sound the crunching of leaf litter under our paws.

"Well this isn't awkward at all," Bouncefire meowed drily.

"I'm sorry my mother stuck you on this patrol to kit-sit us," I meowed with a forced purr.

"Better me than Tinycloud," Bouncefire said. "She would have already chewed both of your ears off by now."

I forced another purr in reply and shot another glance at Wolfshade. Wolfshade continued to stare ahead. His jaw was set in a way that told me he was very unhappy about this interaction.

 _I wonder if he is mad at me. Or, mad at Leafstar for meddling._

I sighed. Either way, it just made things more difficult for me. I eyed Wolfshade nervously out of the corner of my eye a while longer.

 _Why does this feel scarier than any battle I've ever fought?_

I took a deep breath, summoning my bravery, and then I dropped my pace back, coming behind Bouncefire to walk over to Wolfshade's side.

"Hi," I meowed.

"Hi," he replied, his voice low.

 _At least he's talking to me._

"I've been being a mouse-brain," I said, feeling the words spill out of me. "But, I mean, you've been being a mouse-brain too."

Wolfshade shot me a sharp look out of the corner of his eye.

 _Fox-dung! Stop babbling!_

"I didn't mean that," I meowed quickly. "No. That's a lie. I did. But, it's true! Both of us were!"

I gave my head a vicious shake, my pelt burning with embarrassment at my stammering.

"I'm sorry; I'm not good at this," I meowed. "I just want to say: I'm sorry. And, that I want to make it up to you. And, that I don't want to lose you."

Bouncefire had moved over a couple of fox-lengths to make himself scarce. Wolfshade turned to look at me finally.

I saw a sort of thaw make its way across his face. His expression softened, and I even saw a sparkle of amusement in his eyes. I felt a soft purr beginning in my throat, and I opened my mouth to say something more.

I came to a stumbling stop.

I froze as the fur on my back and shoulders bristled. I opened my jaws to catch the scent better, as I raised my head. A wave of icy fear crystallized in my veins as the heavy, putrid scent of badger rushed into my nose.

"Badger!" I said in a frantic growl, my gaze scouring the forest ahead.

Wolfshade stiffened beside me, unsheathing his claws

Bouncefire's green eyes widened as the scent hit him. Wolfshade took a step closer to me, opening his mouth to yowl something.

He was cut off when a bush shook violently, and a huge badger barreled over to us with a rumbling roar.

 _Holy StarClan!_

My heart was pounding in my chest as the three of us spilt up in different directions, scrambling aside. The badger chose to follow me. I shot a glance over my shoulder, and I saw it looming over me, its beady eyes angry.

"Run!" Bouncefire shouted, whirling around.

I was already dashing forward, but before I could really sprint away, the badger lunged with surprising speed. Its massive jaws fastened around one of my forelegs. Searing pain shot up my leg as its teeth sunk deep into my flesh, scraping bone.

Twisting to claw at its nose, I shrieked as with a lurch and a sickening pop, my shoulder was yanked out of its joint. Wolfshade was on the badger like a snarling lion, slashing his claws across its eyes, fury of the likes of which I've never seen before etched on to every line of his face. The badger dropped me in shock, recoiling from him. I scrambled to my feet and quickly backpedaled away from the badger.

The bushes rustled ominously again and two other badgers appeared, lumbering in to join the fight and circling us. Bouncefire valiantly charged forward to meet a badger, a defiant snarl curling his lips. The third badger rushed to the first's aid, heading towards Wolfshade.

"Look out!" I cried a warning to him, springing on three legs into the badger's path.

I rose up on my hind legs, keeping my injured one close to my chest. I swiped a solid blow with my good paw across the badger's face. The badger roared and lunged, but I had anticipated the attack, and with the most power I could muster from my hind legs I dodged by springing up on top of the badger. I dug all four of my clawed feet into its course fur, even my dislocated leg, despite that it shrieked in pain. I bit viciously at the back of its neck, gagging on the oily hair, but feeling a jolt of brutal satisfaction when my teeth met flesh. The metallic taste of blood surged onto my tongue. With a shake of its powerful shoulders, the badger ripped my claws out of its fur and tossed me off of its back. I landed heavily on my hurt leg.

I let out a soft shriek at the aggressive stab of pain in my shoulder. I scrambled to my feet, but I drew my hurt leg closely to my chest with a whimper.

 _It's too injured for me to use at all now._

"Climb a tree!" Bouncefire screamed the order over the snarling as he fended off his badger.

"I can't!" I gasped, scrabbling out of the away as my badger sprung an attack at me again.

Not with three legs.

 _"Go!"_ I shouted to Bouncefire and Wolfshade.

 _They have to save themselves._

"I won't leave you!" Wolfshade said, snarling at the badgers and shooting me a burning look with his sharp green eyes.

Bouncefire growled an affirmative, agreeing with his brother.

My ears pinned back at their noble idiocy.

"I don't want you to die for me," I said, keeping my eyes locked on the badger in front of me.

"Good thing you don't have a choice then," Wolfshade said, baring his teeth at his badger.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him crouch down in front of the badger in preparation to pounce.

"Lightningfire. I love you," Wolfshade said, his voice low and rough in his throat.

My gaze was ripped from my badger, and I looked over to him.

"Wolfshade," I said, my eyes growing wide, and my heart pounding in my chest so hard that it hurt.

Wolfshade's steel-green eyes were locked on the badger, and they narrowed in rage as he sprung at it with a renewed fury, driving it back with every massive blow, roaring like a tiger the whole time. Bewildered at the noise and sudden barrage of unending attacks, the heavily bleeding, half-blinded badger finally turned tail and fled.

I couldn't fend off the badger that was in front of me. All I could do was dodge its strikes and dance in with a quick blow whenever I could manage it. Wolfshade came to my side, slashing at its face with his big paws. The badger shook it's head, giving a roar of anger.

Then, over Wolfshade's shoulder, I spotted out of the corner of my eye the other badger lunging at Bouncefire and securing its fangs around the ginger cat's neck.

My heart dropped into my stomach.

 _"Bouncefire!"_ I yowled, bounding over to him as fast as I could, my shoulder throbbing.

The badger shook him like a mouse. I watched his green eyes widen as he flopped limply in the beast's jaws, claws feebly scraping at its black-and-white muzzle. I leapt at the badger, sinking my teeth deeply into its exposed throat, latching on to its shoulder with three paws. Under my jaws, I could feel its pulsing heartbeat beneath its neck fur. I clamped down. Hard.

Wolfshade also abandoned the other badger to rush to his brother's aid. He mirrored my attack, biting down onto its throat. With two cats clinging to its neck, the badger finally opened its jaws, dropping Bouncefire and gasping for air as we cut off its windpipe. The badger stumbled backwards, blood flowing like a river from its neck and down its front paws to pool on the ground.

Suddenly, awful, agonizing pain ripped down my back as the other badger scored its claws down the length of my spine, having lumbered over to rejoin the fight. The force of the blow tore me from the other badger, throwing me to the ground. I landed hard on my chest. The air was driven from my lungs as I felt something crack under me.

 _I can't breathe!_

Helplessly, I gasped for breath from the ground. Now an excruciating pain screamed through my chest to join the chorus of pain from my leg and back.

I stared at the badger, and its beady black eyes shone emptily into mine.

 _I'm going to die._

But, the badger didn't come to kill me. Instead it lumbered over to dislodge Wolfshade as it had done to me from the other badger. It stepped carelessly over Bouncefire, who was lying brokenly on the ground, his ginger fur darkening with the crimson of blood.

I tried to cry a warning to Wolfshade. Say his name. Anything. The only thing that came from my mouth was a wheeze. The badger pulled its foreleg back.

 _No._

Icy cold fear pounded through me. Panic, the likes of which I've never known, twisted my insides into knots, clawing and ripping at the inside of my chest. My paws scrabbled for purchase on the ground, frantic and weak as I tried to pull myself up, all the while trying to take a breath.

Wolfshade had just enough time to glance up and for his green eyes to widen in surprise when the huge paw came crashing down, slashing across his face. Blood splattered in an arc as Wolfshade flew from the badger. He landed on his back and a half a heartbeat later, his head followed his shoulders to the earth. His eyes shut, his face a mask of red.

The badger with the torn throat collapsed to the ground, eyes closing as its massive pool blood widened. The standing badger roughly nosed the collapsed one, but it did not respond. Slowly, the standing badger turned to Wolfshade, intent on finishing him off. My vision flickered from pain and lack of air.

 ** _Wolfshade!_**

More terror than I thought possible to feel turned my muscles to ice as the badger lumbered over to him in no rush, knowing it had won. The darkness crept closer to the corners of my sight. I could feel it tugging on me like a strong river current, and I was about to fall into it.

 _I have to…_

My eyes flickered and I felt my senses begin to fail me, even as my heart still screamed to fight.

Then my vision cleared; hearing, touch, and scent rushing back. The dark cloudiness was violently driven away as if by a powerful wind on a sunny day. Only for a heartbeat, a glittering white and grey cat appeared before me, his eyes shining with the stars.

 _"Strike, Lightning!"_ he roared.

Suddenly, sweet, sweet air rushed into my lungs, power surging through my bruised and broken body. The petrifying ice in my muscles became blazing fire. I rose to my paws, claws unsheathing and roar forming on my lips to echo that the the grey and white cat's.

The badger whipped around at the sound of my challenge. I charged at it, holding nothing back.

I sprung at its face. It opened its jaws to snap at me, but I leapt higher than them, landing on the top of its head. I clung to its forehead with my fore-claws. Pumping my back legs, I slashed them downwards, raking my claws over its face and eyes over and over again, while stretching my neck over to bite one of its small ears, nearly tearing the whole thing off of its head. I could feel my injures protesting at the movement, but only very mutely. I barely noticed the pain under the fire that burned in my blood, fueling my attacks with unbelievable energy.

The badger bellowed with pain and lifted a paw to swat at me. Rather than facing the blow, I dropped from its face, the paw flying harmlessly over me. Then I leapt at it, attacking one side, then springing back. I did this again and again, randomly changing sides to attack. The badger whipped its head back and forth, trying to keep up with me. It started to pant, frustration, confusion, and a bit of fear beginning to shine in its eyes.

"Leave!" I commanded, slashing at its side again.

I knew it didn't understand me, but still it slowly took a step back.

"LEAVE!" I said again, springing forward, lips curled back.

The badger stumbled backwards, tripping over its own paws, then turned and fled into the trees. Panting, I stood still for a heartbeat, legs shaking.

 _Wolfshade._

I ran to him.

 _Oh, StarClan. Please be okay. Please._

He was breathing steadily, but he was still passed out. My legs almost buckled from relief when I saw his flanks rise.

He was alive.

I nuzzled his side, closing my eyes and silently thanking StarClan repeatedly. A picture of the grey and white cat flashed in my mind for a moment, stilling me. I thanked that warrior specifically before I shook the thought off. I didn't have time to dwell on that now. Wolfshade had been bleeding heavily; the left half of his face was entirely caked in blood. The blood was still oozing out, but at a slower rate.

 _He'll be okay._

I took a deep breath, trying to still the trembling of my paws.

 _…Although I can't tell how much of that half of his face he has left._

Tearing myself from Wolfshade, I dashed to over to Bouncefire, skittering around the dead badger. Almost his entire pelt was stained a darker shade of red from his blood. At first, I could detect no movement from his flanks, but as I stood over him, dread rushing through me, his eyes weakly flickered open.

"Lightningfire," he gasped laboriously, blood bubbling from the puncture wounds in his throat.

"Thank StarClan," I said with a gulp, quickly gathering up nearby leaves to press onto his throat, desperately trying to stem the flow of blood.

"Don't try to talk," I meowed sternly.

"W—Wolfshade?" Bouncefire gasped, ignoring me.

"He's alive, but hurt. He'll be fine. You both will be," I insisted, a deep part of me knowing I was lying.

Bouncefire looked at me, the truth shining in his clear green gaze.

"I saw— You fought like a lion— The Clan— and he— _need_ — you—" Bouncefire panted, blood trickling out of his mouth.

 _Don't talk like that!_

"Shh... Bouncefire," I whispered, reaching a paw out to cradle his face, trying to bring him some sort of comfort.

His gaze unfocused, and he looked over my shoulder.

"Rainfur?" he said with a gasp.

I flashed a glance over my shoulder, but I saw no trace of the grey dappled warrior that died in the battle with the rats before I was born.

"Yes, I'm ready…" Bouncefire panted, turning his eyes back to mine one last time.

"Tell my brother I love him," Bouncefire whispered, and the spark faded from his bright green gaze.

I pressed my paws to his neck a bit harder for just a heartbeat.

 _"Bouncefire!"_ I meowed.

He was still.

I dropped my paws from his neck.

 _There's nothing left for me to do._

I bent my head over him, grief washing over me.

 _I've got to get up._

I clenched my jaw.

 _I have to save Wolfshade. I have to save his brother._

 _I have to save the cat I love._

I felt a jolt at that thought.

But, I knew it was true. There was no doubt.

I loved Wolfshade.

Author's note: Hello everyone! Wow, this chapter is a huge milestone in my story, and I almost can't believe that I've finally gotten here. I just wanted to take a moment to give a big thank you to everyone who has read or reviewed my story! Seriously, seeing all your great reviews, and knowing that there are people out there who enjoy reading my story is what motivates me to keep writing when I start to get burnt out. So, thank you again! And, don't worry. The next chapter is coming out tomorrow :) You won't have to wait long to find out what happens to my poor Wolfshade.


	35. Chapter 34: The Aftermath

The last of the fire that had filled me with strength was fading from my veins, and the pain was coming back at full force. I glanced down at my front, right leg, knowing I could do next to nothing with it dislocated.

As the embers of the fire still flickered with in me, I took my leg into my mouth, and, screaming through my teeth, jerked it back into place. After a sharp slash of searing pain, it faded to a manageable ache, except for the sharp jabs of the badger teeth marks in my flesh. I assessed my back. The wound was long, and a bit deep.

 _But, no organs are injured, and I'm not going to bleed out._

I decided to leave it as it was. It was my chest that pained me the worst. Every breath was an ache and every movement a jab of agony.

 _I must have broken something in my chest._

I set my jaw.

 _I can't do anything about that now._

Now I had to focus on Wolfshade.

I gathered leaves and carried them over to Wolfshade to try to stop his bleeding. I pressed them to his face, wishing for cobwebs instead.

 _What if the badgers come back?_ The thought popped into my head.

As I held my paws to his face, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. I shot several nervous glances over my shoulder. If the badgers returned to finish the fight, then I wouldn't have the energy to drive them off again.

 _I feel like I'm being hunted in my own territory. Like prey._

I looked back down at Wolfshade, my stomach twisting.

Any patrols in the area would pick up the scent of blood and rush to help us, but I couldn't afford to wait on them, not while Wolfshade's life hung in the balance. The bleeding was barely slowing. I needed real cobwebs and Echosong, but I couldn't leave Wolfshade here and go get them.

I dug my claws into the ground for a heartbeat, drawing on all the rest of my strength.

I hunched down, nosing my way under Wolfshade's heavy form. My injuries all throbbed sharply in protest as I draped him across my back and straightened, knees shaking from his weight.

I swayed for a moment until I found my balance.

 _I've got this._

I clenched my jaw, blocking out the pain and exhaustion that pounded through me. The blood from the slice on my back stained Wolfshade's grey fur and his tail dragged in the dirt, but I slowly took one staggering step in the direction of the camp. Then another. Then another.

The cut on my back bled heavier from Wolfshade's body rubbing into it. My chest and leg cried at the extra weight. Blood from Wolfshade's face dripped down into my eyes, but I continued to walk. Staggering, I stumbled through the underbrush.

I was panting, eyes glazed with pain and exhaustion.

It felt like I had been stumbling forward for moons.

 _Keep going. Keep going._

Head down, I continued on, when very faintly, I heard I voice cry out from the distance.

"I smell blood!"

I raised my head, a small jolt of energy surging into me at the sound of the voice.

"Help!" I cried with the last of my strength, my voice a desperate gasp.

Plumwillow, Egg, and Waspwhisker, and Harveymoon came shooting out of the bushes.

"What happened?" Egg meowed with a gasp, coming forward to help relieve me of Wolfshade's weight.

"Wolfshade needs Echosong. Now," I said, my voice shaking with urgency, relief and exhaustion.

Waspwhisker helped Egg to take Wolfshade, and they started back to camp. Plumwillow gave me her shoulder to lean on as we followed.

"There was a badger attack. Bouncefire is still back there. He's dead," I said, my voice a rasp.

Shock and dismay appeared on their faces. Plumwillow let out a loud cry, her legs trembling, and the two of us nearly fell as she lost her balance. She caught herself before we tumbled to the ground, but grief still masked her face.

I remembered with a jolt that Plumwillow and Bouncefire were very close.

 _She just lost her mate._

My face wrinkled up, and I had to look away from the power of the grief on her's.

 _I'm sorry._

I turned my eyes to Wolfshade's limp form.

 _But, dear StarClan, please don't let Wolfshade follow behind Bouncefire._

I closed my eyes swallowing around a huge lump in my throat.

 ** _Please._** _I need him._

Harveymoon had run ahead to make sure Echosong was ready for us when we stumbled into camp. She met us as soon as we brushed through the undergrowth, rushing over to Wolfshade with cobwebs clenched in her jaws.

"Lightningfire!" Leafstar cried, running across the camp in huge loping strides.

Brackenstorm was right on her tail, his fur bristling with fear, and Nightstorm was there too, running to me with wide eyes.

I felt a jolt when I saw Nightstorm's face. I've never seen him look so afraid before.

Leafstar stood in front of me, her face frantic as she looked me all over.

"Are you okay? Where are you hurt?" she asked, her pelt bushed out as she gazed at me.

I realized that my pelt was coated in blood. Some mine, some Wolfshade's, and some Bouncefire's.

"Please. Move," I rasped to her.

I managed to push off of Plumwillow's shoulder, taking a few teetering, staggering steps forward. Echosong was already pushing the cobwebs on Wolfshade's face before he could even be brought into her den. She was hopping on three legs, one paw on his face to press the cobwebs against the wound, and barking uncharacteristically gruff orders to Sootypaw, telling him to make a nest for Wolfshade.

"Will he be alright?" I gasped to Echosong.

"He's lost a lot of blood," she meowed grimly, then didn't say anything else.

I staggered backwards, like her words were a physical blow. Leafstar came to my side, and I leaned gratefully against my mother's shoulder.

Echosong gave me a quick once over look.

"You're still standing, so I'll get to you later," she meowed.

"Great StarClan! Wolfshade!" Minttail cried, spotting him as she came into camp.

She tore over to him, frantically circling around him, Echosong, and his carriers.

"Give me some space," Echosong meowed impatiently to Minttail.

Minttail backed up, but she still stared, horrified, as they vanished into the medicine cat den.

I itched to follow them in, to watch over Wolfshade. But, I knew Echosong needed space to work. Thankfully, I only had to wait a few heartbeat before Egg and Waspwhisker came out of the den, opening up some room.

"Can you help me inside?" I meowed to my mom.

My legs shook, and my whole body was in pain. I wasn't sure that I could stay on my paws for much longer.

"Of course," Leafstar said, guiding me forward.

I staggered slowly into the medicine cat's den with Leafstar's help. Brackenstorm followed, pacing to and fro anxiously behind me. Inside, Echosong was crouched over Wolfshade, who lay in a nest.

"The bleeding's stopped," Echosong meowed, without looking up.

Very painfully, I sat down on my haunches. Leafstar stayed at my side, not taking her eyes off of me, like she was afraid I would collapse at any moment.

 _Which, I suppose is completely possible._

"Lightningfire, I need you to tell me what happened," Leafstar meowed softly to me.

I blinked.

"Badgers. Three of them," I meowed hollowly, feeling strangely detached. "In the Eastern woods. Bouncefire's dead."

"Get Sharpclaw to send a large patrol to track the badgers and retrieve Bouncefire's body. If they find the badgers, they are not to engage," Leafstar meowed quickly to Brackenstorm.

My father gave a sharp nod, gently touched my ear with his nose, then dashed out of the den.

"Leafstar, help Lightningfire groom the blood out of her fur. I need her cuts clean, and I need to see where her wounds are," Echosong meowed, still busy with Wolfshade.

Echosong was already doing the same to Wolfshade, cleaning the fur on his face gently.

"I have a bad slash on my back," I meowed quietly, keeping my gaze on Wolfshade.

Leafstar got to work cleaning my shoulders. I watched Wolfshade. As Echosong cleaned away the blood, the extent of his injuries were slowly revealed. There were four big gashes running sidewise across the left side of his face, two on his cheek and two above his eye. He was missing big chunks of fur, and the area around the gashes had swollen up so badly that I couldn't make out his left eye. His left ear used to only have a nick in the bottom, but now half of it was torn off, taken off by the same blow that mauled his face.

I whimpered quietly at the sight of him, wanting to run to him and curl myself around him. I hardly felt my mother's tongue on my pelt. I hardly felt anything at all, expect for a whirling anxiety inside for Wolfshade. It clawed at my chest, swirling and rumbling like a thunderstorm. I stiffly lowered myself to the ground, watching Wolfshade the whole while.

 _I would give anything to go back to yesterday._

Echosong had pulled some herbs from her storage, and she was chewing them up. She pressed them to Wolfshade's face, caking the injured half in a sort of herb-mask. She dabbed some on his ear, then gave the rest of his body a quick look over. Wolfshade had no other injuries besides some swallow scratches, so she left those for now and padded over to me.

"Let's fix that cut up," Echosong meowed, looking at the long wound that snaked down my back, from my shoulder to the base of my tail.

She started to chew some herbs.

"This'll sting a little, but then it should take away the pain," Echosong said, mumbling around her mouthful of leaves.

I nodded a bit listlessly.

She coated the cut with the herbs. I didn't even flinch as it stung. The burn was nothing compared to the agony in my ribs, or the pain in my mind. Echosong added different herbs to the poultice on my back, those ones to prevent infection, she said. I stared at Wolfshade, barely half-listening to Echosong.

"Where else are you hurt?" Echosong said, pulling some of my attention back to her.

I extended my foreleg.

"I was bit here," I murmured. "The wounds are small, but deep."

Echosong gave the bite marks a good lick to clean them out before dabbing some herbs on them too.

"We'll need to keep an eye on those to make sure they don't get infected," Echosong said.

I nodded.

"And, my chest hurts," I meowed.

"Your chest?" Echosong asked with a furrowed brow.

"Yeah. Really bad. A badger threw me to the ground," I said.

I reached a paw up and lightly touched it to my chest. Echosong padded over to examine my chest. She buried an ear in my fur, listening carefully. Then she pulled her head back and ran a light paw over my chest.

"Tell me when it hurts," Echosong said.

She applied a light bit of pressure.

I let out a hiss of pain and recoiled.

"I think you cracked a rib," she meowed, pulling her paw away. "There is nothing I can do for that, besides give you something for the pain and wait for it to heal."

"My poor kit," Leafstar murmured, blue eyes full of concern as she bent her head and licked the top of my head.

"Lightningfire needs to rest," Echosong meowed gently to my mother.

Leafstar gave a small nod and straightened.

"Let me know if you need anything," Leafstar said, before turning and padding out of the den.

Echosong walked over to her herb storage, and came back hopping on three paws. She extended her one paw, and I saw two tiny black seeds where stuck to her pad.

"These are poppy seeds," she meowed. "They'll take away your pain and make you sleep."

I hesitated, looking down at them. I cast a glance up, towards Wolfshade.

"Lightningfire, you need to heal. And, to heal, you need to rest," Echosong meowed quietly.

Her eyes flickered from Wolfshade then back to me.

"There isn't anything more you can do for him right now," she said.

I closed my eyes, giving a soft sigh.

 _She's right._

As much as I hated to admit it.

Finally I gave a nod, then bent down and lapped up the seeds. It wasn't long before I felt a fog descending over me. Wolfshade's ruffled smoke grey pelt was the last thing I saw before my eyelids drooped, and I fell into an uneasy sleep.

XXXX

"Wolfshade," I croaked, eyes flickering open as I drifted out of my hazy, dreamless sleep.

I started to stumble to my paws, and I felt a sharp jab on pain in my chest and down my back at the movement.

"Easy there," Echosong meowed.

She put a white paw on my back and gently lowered me back into the nest. I didn't resist, but I continued to gaze around the den in confusion, my thoughts clouded from the poppy seeds.

"Wolfshade?" I said again, looking around.

I stilled when my eyes rested on his grey form, lying in a nest across from me.

"He's here," Echosong meowed. "He hasn't woken up yet, but his breathing and heart rates are stable."

I let out a huge sigh, which made my chest ache angrily, and I lowered my chin to rest it on my paws so I could keep Wolfshade in my line of sight.

"The real test will be if he makes it through the night," Echosong said softly. "But, I'm hopeful that he will."

I nodded, feeling numb at her words.

Echosong glanced towards the entrance of the den and the darkening sky outside.

"The vigil for Bouncefire is about to begin," Echosong said quietly.

My head lifted from my nest.

"I've got to go to him," I mumbled, stumbling to my feet, and gasping as my chest cried out in agony at the movement.

"No! You're too hurt, Bouncefire would understand," she said, blocking my way.

Only this morning I could have dashed around her without a problem if I really wanted to leave, but now her standing at the entrance to the den was as effective as if a monster was inside of the cave.

"Please," I begged.

I couldn't say anything else. I just stared at her, pain and grief marring my face.

Echosong dipped her head.

"Very well," she said softly. "You can pay your respects, but I cannot allow you to stay out all night, Lightningfire."

"I understand," I replied, and she stepped out of my way.

Walking as stiffly as an elder, I staggered out of the medicine cat's den and into the camp. The whole clan was already down in camp and assembled in a loose circle around Bouncefire. At the sound of my awkward gait, every cats' heads turned to look at me. They stared, taking in every scratch on my pelt, the pained way I took in every breath, the stiff way I held my front right leg, and the cut that stretched from my shoulder to base of my tail. I would carry that long scar on my skin for the rest of my life. Cats began to whisper.

"She killed a badger," Sparrowpelt muttered.

His voice was rough with grief, but he also looked at me with something close to awe.

Some cats looked at me the same way he did, while others with only sadness and some even anger.

"What happened," Clovertail demanded, stumbling up from where she crouched by her son's body, eyes dull with grief.

Tinycloud glared at me, accusation in her eyes like she blamed me for one of her brother's death and the other's maiming. I bowed my head. Perhaps it was my fault for fighting with Wolfshade. Maybe my mother wouldn't have even sent a patrol if we had been getting along. I stood in the center of the camp, prepared to take their full judgement on me.

"The three of us were on patrol," I began. "While still deep in our territory, I scented badger. Then they came out of nowhere. There were three badges, all full size."

My voice cracked. I took a moment to swallow, trying not to break down.

"It happened so quickly," I rasped. "No time to run away. We were each battling a badger, but there was only three of us. My leg dislocated when my badger took it in his jaws and shook me. Bouncefire yowled for us to climb a tree, but I couldn't with my leg. I told them to go, but Wolfshade wouldn't leave me. Neither would Bouncefire. Wolfshade drove his badger away. I was still fighting mine when I saw the other badger had Boucefire by the neck."

My eyes closed as the image of Bouncefire hanging limply from the badger's jaws formed in my mind.

Plumwillow whimpered. The rest of the Clan was dead silent.

"Both Wolfshade and I attacked the badger. We ripped into its throat with all our strength, but it was too late. Bouncefire was too far gone. We badly injured that badger, but the one I was fighting earlier came to the rescue of its companion. It tore me from the other badger with its claws," I muttered, flicking my ears back to indicate the slash on my back. "It knocked me to the ground, breaking my rib. Then it- it slashed Wolfshade, knocking him off of the other badger. His face was badly cut, and he hit his head against the ground, knocking him out. Wolfshade hasn't... he hasn't woken up yet."

I barely got these words out. They were like gravel in my mouth. I didn't want to believe it. Grief and sorrow dug their claws into my heart. Yowls of rage and sadness rose from some cats in the Clan. Most of them hadn't known about the severity of Wolfshade's injuries yet.

"The other badger was dead. And, I drove the last one off," I finished, feeling drained from the story.

"Then you carried Wolfshade halfway back to camp," Sagewhisker added.

"Yes," I said flatly.

There was admiration in some of my clan mate's eyes when they looked at me. But, seeing their respect, I felt nothing.

"I've already sent a patrol out. They tracked the badgers and they found that the remaining badgers have left our territory. But, for now, no cat is allowed to travel outside of camp alone. Tomorrow, we shall patrol extensively to ensure the badgers are really gone for good," Leafstar announced.

I hardly listened to my mother's announcement. I wouldn't be able to leave camp for a long while anyways. Some cats murmured praise, and others condolences to me, but I hardly heard those either. Cats parted around me as I padded slowly towards Bouncefire.

I buried my nose in his soft ginger fur, but even the herbs Echosong rubbed on his pelt couldn't hide the scent of dried blood and death.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't save you," I rasped, softly enough that only he could hear, but not the other cats clustered around me.

Grief swirled in my belly, and I screwed my eyes shut, crouched next to him in silence.

"Goodbye, Bouncefire," I whispered finally.

Echosong had come out, probably to hear my story and make sure I stayed true to my promise to come back. Slowly, I straightened from my crouch and hobbled over to her. I let her guide me back to the medicine cat's den.


	36. Chapter 35: Heal

I stirred in the nest in the medicine cat's den, blinking in the sunlight that streamed in the cave. Echosong had given me more poppy seeds to get me to sleep after Bouncefire's vigil. Now it was morning, and I could feel them wearing off as my thoughts sharpened. I shifted uncomfortably in my nest, every part of my body feeling stiff and achy.

I turned to look over at Wolfshade, anxiety swirling in my stomach. He was still asleep, but I calmed myself by counting the rising and falling of his flanks as he breathed.

"Wolfshade," I meowed.

He didn't stir.

"You're up," Echosong said, padding over to me at the sound of my voice.

"Has Wolfshade woken up at all?" I asked.

Echosong shook her head.

My stomach clenched with concern.

"Let's change these herbs," Echosong meowed briskly, changing the subject, and getting to work on my wounds.

"Can I check on him?" I meowed, struggling to my feet before she could even reply.

"Lightningfire. Take a look at yourself. You need to rest," Echosong meowed sternly.

I peered down at my paws. I was standing on very shaky legs, taking laborious, panting breathes which made my ribs throb with pain, and the wound on my back was oozing blood around the herbs that coated it from the movement.

Echosong helped lower me back into the nest, and I didn't resist her.

"I don't want you leaving this nest at all today," Echosong meowed.

I blinked up at her in dismay.

"I know you're worried about him," Echosong said quietly.

I sighed, putting my chin down on my paws.

 _That's an understatement._

"I'll get you some fresh-kill," Echosong murmured, leaving the den.

I heaved a sigh again, still staring at Wolfshade. I fiddled in my nest, rolling from side to side. It was hard to find a comfortable position with my sore foreleg, injured back, and aching chest. At least I had an appetite, and I waited impatiently for Echosong to return with food. But, it wasn't Echosong that came through the entrance of the den with fresh-kill, but Sagewhisker instead.

"I brought you a thrush. That's your favorite, right?" Sagewhisker meowed, putting the bird down at my paws.

"Yeah, thanks," I meowed.

"How are you feeling?" he meowed sympathetically, his pale green eyes flickering over my pelt, taking in my wounds.

"Like a badger dragged me through the forest and back," I said with a short burst of a bitter purr.

"Sorry. That was a dumb question," Sagewhisker said, ducking his head in embarrassment.

"No. It's okay," I said.

My gaze flickered to Wolfshade.

"I don't mean to be snappy. I'm just stressed and worried about Wolfshade," I meowed quietly.

"I can't imagine what you're going through," Sagewhisker said softly. "I mean with Wolfshade. And, your injuries. And, seeing Bouncefire…"

Sagewhisker's voice trailed off, and he dipped his head, sadness in his eyes. My heart twisted as the memory of Bouncefire's death washed over me again, and at seeing the grief on the grey tabby warriors face.

"Your father came to guide him to StarClan in the end," I meowed quietly.

Sagewhisker's ears pricked. His gaze drifted back up, and he looked at me intensely.

"Rainfur? Really?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I heard Bouncefire say his name," I said.

Sagewhisker's eyes misted over.

"It's nice to know he's still watching over us," he said quietly.

Sagewhisker was silent for a moment. I was looking at Wolfshade, but as the silence stretched on, my gaze flickered back to Sagewhisker. Sagewhisker was staring at me, but when our eyes met, he quickly looked away. He cleared his throat.

"I'll let you eat your fresh-kill," he said, getting to his paws.

"If you ever need something… just give a yowl," Sagewhisker added with a soft purr.

Then he walked out of the den.

I ate the thrush in silence, gazing over at Wolfshade the whole while. The morning was starting to wear on.

 _I'm sure, any moment, he'll wake up._

But, still, doubt gnawed at me. He's been knocked out for so long. Could cats even come back from such a long sleep?

I gave my head a vicious shake.

 _Don't think like that!_

I settled down into my nest, eyes locked on Wolfshade, determined to wait.

Other cats came to visit me, or to check on Wolfshade, during the day. Nightstorm stopped by, delivering the news that no new badger scent had been found on our territory. After he left, my parents came, and they talked with me for a while, until Echosong ushered them out, saying that I needed to rest. I napped for a while during sun-high. After I had woken up, Cherrytail came down with all five kits in tow.

"Now you can't be rough," Cherrytail told them sternly as they entered the den. "Lightningfire is hurt."

Wrenkit and Rosekit approached me first, their green eyes wide.

"I was so worried about you!" Wrenkit cried, burying his head in my shoulder fur.

"I'm going to be okay," I said with a reassuring purr, licking the top of his fluffy brown tabby head.

"Did the badger do that to you?" Rosekit meowed, her face furrowed with concern as she looked at all of the wounds on my pelt.

I nodded.

"But, you fought them off?" she asked, her high pitched voice insisting.

"Yes," I replied.

Rosekit relaxed. She scraped her tiny claws against the ground.

"Good," she growled.

"Were you scared?" Ripplekit asked, his eyes wide.

"Yeah," I said quietly.

The kits were silent, looking up at me with solemn eyes. They seemed frightened by my admittance that I had been afraid.

"What's wrong with Wolfshade?" Wrenkit asked, breaking the silence as he glanced over at the grey warrior with concern.

"He's hurt," I muttered, not wanted to get into the details.

"You must have been so brave," Owlkit said, her eyes growing as wide as her namesake.

"Don't worry," Adderkit meowed. "Sharpclaw says the badgers are gone."

"I think that's enough," Cherrytail interrupted, meowing to the kits. "Lightningfire is probably tired."

They started to whine, but Cherrytail shushed them. With a goodbye to me, she deftly herded the kits out of the den.

I continued to wait, but Wolfshade still didn't stir. Echosong padded over to Wolfshade, giving him a thorough check up, sniffing the herb mask on his face.

"No change?" she meowed to me, still crouched over him.

I wasn't sure if it was a question or a statement, but I nodded anyway.

I could see an upset look creep over Echosong's face at Wolfshade's condition, but when she straightened, her expression was smooth.

 _She doesn't want to seem upset for my sake._

I gazed at Wolfshade. The left side of his face, including his eye, was coated in herbs and a bit of dried blood. If it wasn't for that injury, I could almost imagine he was simply sleeping peacefully.

The day continued to trickle past, and soon the sky was darkening as the sun set. Echosong walked into the den, her mouth full of newly picked herbs. She sat and began sorting them. I looked over to her. Like she felt her eyes on me, her gaze drifted up and met mine.

"Why won't he wake up?" I said, my voice hoarse.

Echosong bowed her head sadly.

"He has a head injury. More than just the slashes on his face. See here," she said, getting up and walking over to Wolfshade.

With her tail, she lightly brushed a bump behind his ear that I hadn't notice before.

"He hit his head against something hard. Bad head injuries can cause a cat to fall into a deep sleep. And there are times…" Echosong's voice trailed off as she hesitated.

"And, sometimes they never awake," she finished with a sigh.

I breathed in deeply, feeling like the air had been struck from my chest again. My ribs screamed in pain at the deep breath, but that even that pain dulled in comparison to my internal agony. I closed my eyes.

My thoughts whirled, surprisingly focused and calm.

Because there was still a spark of hope, like light glimmering at the far end of a deep cave. Echosong said _sometimes._

 _Wolfshade can still wake up._

"That's why you didn't want me to sleep when I injured my head, during my training as an apprentice," I meowed to her, my eyes opening.

Echosong dipped her head to me in confirmation, looking slightly surprised that I remembered her treatment. I suppose she was used to warriors hurting themselves, then charging right back to battle again without giving a second thought to their treatment.

"So what can we do to help him wake up?" I asked.

Echosong shook her head.

"This is a battle he must fight alone, Lightningfire. I can give him herbs to help his body heal, but not even the greatest medicine cat in the world can cure the mind," she meowed.

I lashed my tail, feeling a sudden spark of anger. It sounded to me like she was giving up.

"Mouse-dung," I spat.

Echosong looked at me in surprise.

"The mind and body aren't separate things. They're tied together like how night and day are. To help one, you must help the other. How can the mind heal if the body is weak?" I said.

Echosong blinked, taken back at my uncharacteristic tone.

My tail tip twitched. I felt a little foolish lecturing a medicine cat on medicine, but I couldn't let Wolfshade wither away because Echosong felt that she could do nothing to help him.

Echosong had remained surprisingly calm during my outburst. And, when she leaned towards me, she looked at me not with hostility, but with keen interest. An unidentifiable emotion gleamed in her eyes.

"So Lightningfire, what would you suggest I do?" she asked.

I hesitated, but only for a moment.

"He needs water. He's been passed out for a whole day now with nothing to drink," I meowed.

"But, he's sleeping. If we just poured water into his mouth, wouldn't he choke?" she asked.

My brow furrowed as I thought about it.

"We swallow our saliva when our mouth is closed while we sleep," I said slowly. "So, no. He should swallow it, as long as we drip the water in slowly."

Echosong nodded, then poked her head out of the den to call for wet moss. Sootypaw brought some in, and Echosong took it from him. I watched as she carefully held Wolfshade's mouth open as she dripped the water in. When a tiny pool of water had formed by the back of Wolfshade's tongue, he swallowed.

 _It worked!_

I felt a flash of delight. I looked over at Echosong. I could tell by the confident way Echosong held his jaws and the moss that she had knew it all along. She had been testing me.

"But, he needs more than water," I said as Echosong continued to drip the water in Wolfshade's mouth.

I didn't wait for her to ask me what she should do.

"He needs to eat too, but he can't chew. We could use blood and give it to him like we're giving the water," I meowed. "But, I think it would be better to chew up some fresh-kill and give it to him, so he has some real sustenance."

My brow furrowed. The problem was how to get the fresh-kill mush into his mouth. We could try scooping it in with our paws or dropping it in from our mouths, but if we missed, we would waste a lot of food. We also couldn't risk getting _too much_ food in his mouth because then he would choke. If there was only a way to concentrate a small amount on the back of the tongue, so it wouldn't go down his windpipe…

A image of the reeds that grew in the river appeared in my mind. I thought about how Nightstorm and I used to play with them as kits, and how we were startled one day when we broke some and discovered that they were hollow inside.

"What if we used some reeds from the river?" I asked.

I explained my idea to Echosong. She thought about it for a moment, her brow furrowed.

"It's worth giving a try," she finally said with a nod.

She fetched a few reeds for me, each varying widths as I requested. We picked the one that looked like it would work best with the size of Wolfshade's mouth. Not too big, but not so small that no food would make it through. I broke the reed to the correct length, ending up with a small hollow tube.

Echosong began to chew up a tiny bite of a mouse.

"I need you to help hold his head," Echosong said around her mouthful.

I got out of my nest and hobbled over to her. She instructed me where to put my paws, so I could hold his mouth open, without tilting his head too far back. Echosong picked up the reed tube and bit one end carefully, holding it steady in her jaws.

I stifled a purr at how ridiculous she looked with the reed sticking out of her mouth, and watched as she carefully lowered the other end of the reed into Wolfshade's mouth. The mouse mush came out of the end of the reed and ended up at the back of his tongue. Echosong removed the reed, dripped a few drops of water from the moss into Wolfshade's mouth, and his throat convulsed as he swallowed the mush easily.

Echosong and I both hesitated, making sure that he did not choke or cough. Wolfshade continued to breathe easily.

"Well done Lightningfire," Echosong purred to me.

My pelt warmed at her praise. We fed Wolfshade the rest of the mouse. It was slow and meticulous work, but I was so happy he was getting food.

 _Get your strength back,Wolfshade, and heal. Then come back to me._

As it became night, I asked if Echosong could move my nest next to Wolfshade's. Echosong obliged and set up a new nest for me.

Feeling exhausted and achy, I curled up against Wolfshade's side, and I let the rise and fall of his flank guide me to sleep.


	37. Chapter 36: Cloudstar

Stirring, I woke up early, just as the sun was peeking over the horizon, yanked from the peaceful clutches of sleep by the throbbing of my ribs. I shifted in my nest uncomfortably before leaning over to check on Wolfshade.

"Wolfshade," I whispered, shaking his shoulder lightly with a paw.

He didn't stir. I nosed him.

"Wolfshade," I murmured again, my breath stirring his fur.

I sighed softly.

"Come on, Shade."

My voice was rough with affection and sadness as I whispered the nickname.

I saw Echosong stirring in her nest deeper in the den at the sound of my soft mew. I leaned back down onto my side of the nest as she raised her head.

"Lightningfire, you're up early," Echosong murmured with a yawn.

"My ribs are paining me," I meowed.

"Do you want some more poppy seeds?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"I don't want to sleep anymore," I meowed.

Echosong got up and padded over to me.

"Alright. But, be sure to tell me if the pain gets too bad," she said.

Echosong felt my chest with her paws, making sure the cracked bones had not slide out of place. Then she replaced the poultice on the long wound on my back. As I waited for her to slather on all the herbs, I batted a small piece of moss between my paws, thinking back on the badger attack.

"Echosong?" I meowed softly.

"Yes?" she replied.

I hesitated, staring down at the scrap of moss.

"Have you ever met a white and pale grey tom with blue eyes in your dreams with StarClan?" I asked.

Echosong hesitated, lowering her paws slowly.

"Do you mean Cloudstar?" she meowed carefully.

My gaze flickered up to her's.

"The cat that led SkyClan from our old forest home to here?" I asked in surprise.

"Yes," she meowed, nodding her head.

"Why do you ask? Did Leafstar tell you about him?" she said with keen interest, leaning forward.

Then she glanced down, like she was trying not to act too eager.

"No," I meowed slowly. "I... I think he saved me. During the attack, after I broke my ribs, I couldn't breathe. The badger was closing in on Wolfshade, and I was about to pass out. But, then I saw him. Cloudstar, I think. And he gave me my breath back and more energy, and he commanded me to keep fighting."

I scuffled my paws in the moss.

"I saw him that time in the Whispering Cave too. I'm certain that was the same cat," I meowed.

My eyes unfocused slightly as I delved deep into my memories.

"I think I've seen him more times before that too. I have these hazy memories… they feel almost like dreams—just flashes of him in the shadows. I think they go all the way back to when I was a kit."

My gaze flickered back up, and I saw Echosong staring intently at me.

"Or, maybe they are just dreams, or I was hallucinating from lack of air," I meowed quickly, seeing the odd look on her face.

"No!" Echosong meowed, sounding strangely excited.

She collected herself, leaning back, sitting and wrapping her tail around her paws.

"No," she repeated in a calmer tone. "I don't think you were hallucinating. Tell me, what did Cloudstar say to you _exactly_ , when the badgers attacked?"

I furrowed my brow as I thought about it.

"'Strike, Lightning,'" I said in a deep voice, recalling the intensity in his eyes and voice.

"'Strike,'" Echosong muttered to herself. "He wanted you to attack, but he was also referring to a lightning strike..."

Her voice trailed off.

"Maybe he just wanted me to fight with the ferocity of a lightning strike?" I asked.

She didn't reply, her gaze becoming distant and thoughtful. I shifted uncomfortably when I saw her faraway look.

"Does him appearing to me mean something?" I inquired, fur prickling at the thousands of hidden thoughts flickering in her gaze. "I've seen him so many times. He must be trying to tell me something, right?"

Echosong shook herself out of it.

"...You don't have to worry about that. Right now, you concentrate on healing," she said, leaning down to lick the top of my head in a motherly way.

She rose to her paws to walk away.

"Wait," I meowed, and Echosong stopped.

"Why me?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Echosong said, turning back to me.

"Why did this StarClan warrior choose to talk to me?" I said, digging my claws into the moss of my nest. "Why not you? Or, Leafstar? Or, someone else? I'm not special."

"Maybe you are, Lightningfire," Echosong meowed quietly.

I snorted at the absurdity of her comment. I thought of all the times I had missed a bird while hunting. Or, the times I slept in, curled up in the den long after when I was supposed to get up for training. Or, how Whisperheart told me a secret, and I kept it, breaking my relationship with Wolfshade in the process. Or, how I just had my tail handed to me by a badger, and I lost Bouncefire because I wasn't strong enough to save him.

No, I've never done anything special, because I'm _not_ special.

"I don't know about that," I muttered to Echosong.

Echosong was silent for a moment, her blue eyes shining intensely into mine.

"We all have our parts to play during the time we walk on this Earth, Lightningfire. Large or small," Echosong said. "And, some of us have bigger destinies than others."

***AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! So I've got good news and bad news. The BAD news: I broke my wrist yesterday :( I'll still be writing, don't worry, but it's going much slower with only one hand, so I won't be able to keep up with this once a day updating I've been doing. At least not until my wrist is somewhat functional again.

The GOOD news: My dominant hand is not broken, so I can still draw. So, I thought we could do something fun in the meanwhile! You guys can submit questions to Lightningfire, Wolfshade, or any other character in the story that you want, by leaving a question in your review. Then I will draw a picture or a comic of the cat reacting to and answering your question. Cool? Any kinds of questions are allowed. You can ask a question relevant to the story (ex: to Iceshiver, what was growing up in the city like? or to Sagewhisker: how do you feel about Lightningfire?) or a silly question (ex: to Lightningfire, what's your favorite ice-cream flavor?) The only condition is if your question involves future spoilers, I'll have to be vague in answering the question ;) You can submit multiple questions to multiple characters. I will try to answer at least one question per person, if I answer more that will depend on how many questions I get. Finally, the drawings and answers will be posted on my deviantart account! My account name is the same as here: SedatedDreams! I'll also probably pm you here to let you know once the answer is posted!***


	38. Chapter 37: Herb Gathering

I twitched my tail impatiently from my nest. Echosong was sitting in the back of the cave, quietly sorting herbs. I looked over at Wolfshade. Several sunrises have passed, but he was still sleeping. Echosong and I continued to give him food and water, but I could see his bones beginning to poke out from under his pelt. He was losing weight. I licked Wolfshade's soft grey head.

"Don't worry. You'll wake up soon," I murmured to him.

I dug my claws into the moss, a feeling of utter helplessness washing over me.

 _I wish there is something more I could do for him._

I sighed, feeling defeated.

"If I have to sit in this nest for one more day, I'm going to go crazy," I meowed to Echosong.

Echosong looked up at me from her herbs with a look of surprise. She swept her gaze over me thoughtfully.

"How are you feeling? How much pain are you in?" she asked.

"I'm feeling well enough to manage just fine without a poppy seed," I meowed.

I stood up and was delighted to find that my paws were not shaky.

"See?" I meowed to her.

I walked over to Echosong. There was a soft ache in my chest, but it was manageable. I only felt a sharp jab of pain when I accidentally jolted my chest as I lowered myself back into a sitting position next to Echosong.

"It seems like you are well enough to leave your nest," Echosong agreed, looking over me carefully. "You are free to go into camp, but don't try climbing anything."

"So, I can lie in the sunlight instead of in my nest?" I meowed dryly.

"If you want," Echosong replied with a purr.

I shook my head.

"I don't want to do that," I said. "I'm _bored._ "

"I'm afraid you still can't return to warrior duties for quite a while, Lightningfire," Echosong meowed to me.

I sighed.

"Just give me something to do. All day I sit in my nest, alone with my thoughts. I look at Wolfshade and hope he will wake up. I'll drive myself mad with grief and helplessness if this continues on much longer," I said.

Echosong gave me a sad look, and opened her jaws to say something. I didn't give her a chance to reply. I wanted a distraction, not to continue to wallow in self-pity.

I nodded to the herbs at her paws.

"What are these?" I asked.

"Burdock root. It's the best herb there is for treating rat bites. Either to prevent infection or to stop one," Echosong said. "I haven't had to use it for quite a while, but I like to keep a big supply… just in case."

A small shudder ran through me at her dark expression. I've never come across a rat in all my time as a warrior or an apprentice, but everyone in SkyClan knew the stories well, and we all stayed on high alert for any sight of them.

"And, what's that?" I said, nodding towards a pile of leaves.

"Yarrow," Echosong meowed, a pleased expression beginning to creep across her face, like she was happy to share her knowledge.

I bent down to sniff the leaves.

"What is it used for?" I asked, crinkling my nose at its powerful, almost sickly-sweet scent.

"If a cat eats it, it'll make them vomit to remove something bad that they ate. Or, rubbed on to wounds to remove toxins," Echosong explained. "But, I mostly use it to make an ointment to soften and heal cracked and irritated pads."

Echosong lifted her foot, showing me her soft pink pads. I lifted my foot and compared it to hers. I was surprised to find my pads were grey, and much harder than hers.

"A lot of us in the gorge unfortunately don't have the same hard pads as you," Echosong said, seeing my surprised expression. "These stones in the gorge can be rough our my feet. I go through my yarrow supply fairly often, making ointment for a lot of our clan-mates, myself included."

Echosong gave a soft purr.

"Your supply seems low," I noted.

"Yes. I was planning on gathering some more today," Echosong replied.

"Can I come?" I asked, eyes brightening.

"I know that there's a patch not far from camp," Echosong said slowly. "So, I suppose so, as long as you keep it slow, and let me know if anything starts to hurt."

I purred with delight.

"I'll have to get someone to watch Wolfshade while we're gone," Echosong said. "And, I'll need to get a warrior to come with us. Leafstar still doesn't want any cat going out alone."

I nodded.

 _I don't care if I have to be watched over by another warrior like a kit. I just want to get out of camp!_

"Wait here. I'll go see who's available," Echosong said.

She got up and padded out of the den. I fidgeted where I sat, hardly able to keep still.

 _I'm more impatient to leave camp now, than I was my first day as an apprentice!_

Echosong came back with Iceshiver and Seedheart in tow.

"Seedheart will watch over Wolfshade while Iceshiver comes with us to gather herbs," Echosong meowed.

"Great! Let's get going," I said, slowly getting to my paws.

Echosong, Iceshiver and I padded out of the den. I followed them as we walked through the camp. I raised my head, purring as I felt the sunlight on my face and the warm breeze stirring my whiskers. We had just reached the edge of camp when I heard a voice behind me.

"You're out of the medicine cat's den!"

My ears pricked and I turned to see Sagewhisker padding over to me.

"Yeah," I meowed to him. "I'm just going with Echosong and Iceshiver to gather some herbs."

"Are you sure you're feeling up for that?" Sagewhisker asked, blinking at me in surprise.

I bristled slightly at his comment.

"Yes. I am," I said curtly. "And, last I checked, Echosong was the medicine cat, and she said it was okay."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to insult you," Sagewhisker said with a blink. "I'm just a bit worried. Do you want me to come with you? The badgers could still be hanging around."

"No thanks," I meowed, trying to flatten my bristling pelt since he apologized. "We have Iceshiver, and she's all the protection we need. Right, Echosong?"

To my relief, Echosong nodded. I didn't think I'd be able to stand Sagewhisker hovering over my shoulder like a worried mother-duck as we searched for herbs.

"We should get going," Echosong said, taking the lead as we walked out of camp, leaving Sagewhisker behind.

Iceshiver and I walked side-by-side, following Echosong who was a couple of tail-lengths ahead. My steps were slow to keep the aching of my ribs to a minimum, so Iceshiver slowed her pace to match mine.

"He seems to like you a lot," Iceshiver commented, glancing over at me from her sharp green eyes.

"Sagewhisker?" I said, flattening my ears.

"He's a sweet cat," Iceshiver added, turning to look back forward again.

My brow furrowed at Iceshiver's probing tone.

"I'm not interested. He must know that," I muttered, staring ahead.

"No one can help how they feel," Iceshiver said, rotating a ear towards me.

"He's my friend, and I'd hate to hurt his feelings. But, I'm with Wolfshade. I don't want anyone but him. End of story," I said, my tail tip twitching.

Iceshiver let out a purr, noticing my irritation.

"Relax, Lightningfire. I'm not trying to push you to Sagewhisker, or steal your Wolfshade. Although, I am a bit jealous of how you managed to get two toms to fall all over you," Iceshiver said, with a playful sweep of her tail.

I gave a snort of laughter, turning to focus back on where we were headed.

"What herb are we looking for again?" Iceshiver asked.

"Yarrow," Echosong meowed. "I usually find it growing just by a fallen tree ahead."

"We want to collect the leaves," I added. "Echosong uses them to sooth hurt pads."

"Very good, Lightningfire," Echosong said, glancing at me over her shoulder with a purr.

I raised my head with pride at her praise.

"It has a strong, sweet scent, and small white or pink flowers," Echosong said, turning back ahead.

"You mean like sick-sweet?" Iceshiver said, pricking her ears and bounding up to Echosong's side.

"I've never heard of a plant called sick-sweet," Echosong said, brow furrowing with confusion.

"We call it that because it smells sickly sweet, and it'll make you sick it you eat it," Iceshiver said, raising her nose to sniff at the air. "Look! That's it!"

Iceshiver bounded over to a patch of yarrow growing at the base of a fallen tree ahead.

"That's definitely yarrow," Echosong said, trotting over to her.

I followed much more slowly.

"How did you learn about this herb?" Echosong asked, turning to Iceshiver with a look of curiosity.

"My mother knew a bit about herbs," Iceshiver meowed. "Not as much as you of course, but she knew about sick-sweet and how that you eat it when you eat something bad. Let's see… what else," Iceshiver said, her gaze thoughtful. "Oh, yeah! She also taught us about dandelion leaves. She said we could chew them to ease pain."

Iceshiver shrugged.

"It's not a lot, but she had to raise several litters of kits on her own, and that knowledge helped us survive to adulthood," Iceshiver said.

I noticed that Iceshiver conveniently left out that where her mother raised her was in a huge two-leg place, among dozens of vicious rogues.

The three of us picked the yarrow, only stripping the leaves off of the plants. Echosong had us leave some plants untouched, so there would be yarrow still growing here in the moons to come.

We made the slow trek back to camp. I carried a much smaller bundle of leaves than Iceshiver or Echosong, but my chest still started to pound with pain by the time the trees gave away to the sandy gorge of the camp. As we walked towards the medicine cats' den, my whole body felt limp with exhaustion. I shot a glance at Echosong and tried to even my breathing, not wanting her to put me back on den-rest.

 _Hopefully she won't notice._

As we came into the medicine cat's den, I spotted Wolfshade's grey side.

"Wolfshade!" I called, as I padded in with the yarrow.

I saw Seedheart's white and tabby pelt stir, and she straighten from where she had been crouching close to Wolfshade, who continued lying still.

"How did the herb gathering go?" Seedheart asked, looking at Iceshiver, Echosong, and I.

I blinked hard, slightly startled.

 _Mouse-brain!_

I shook my head.

For a few blissful moments, I had forgotten that Wolfshade was still lost in a deep sleep.

"Good," I said with a forced purr.

I lowered my head to place the herbs down on the moss covered floor, feeling like there was a heavy stone in my stomach.

"Do you want to help sort them?" Echosong meowed, blinking back at me.

"I'm feeling tried," I mumbled, not looking at anyone.

I crouched down into my nest. I pressed my side to Wolfshade's, feeling his fur brush mine. I sighed at his familiar touch and screwed my eyes shut.

 _Please, I don't want to lose you._

Soon, I fell into an uneasy sleep.


	39. Chapter 38: The Sleep

I stirred, blinking awake in my nest next to Wolfshade. I could feel his flank rising against mine, but it was sharp from the poking of his bones from under his thin pelt.

My stomach twisted as I looked at his gaunt, sleeping form. I turned my gaze away, unable to look at him without being stricken by grief so terrible that it made me feel sick.

"How long has it been?" I asked Echosong.

She looked up at me from her nest in the back of the den.

"How long has it been since the badger attack?" I said.

"Almost a half a moon," she replied in a quiet voice.

I glanced over at Wolfshade before tearing my gaze away again, staring down at my paws.

"He's not getting better is he?" I meowed bitterly.

She was silent. I looked up at her, forcing her to meet my gaze.

"You can tell me. Don't try to spare my feelings," I said, my voice sounding a bit more hoarse than I expected.

I swallowed hard.

"I will continue to do all I can for him," Echosong murmured quietly. "But, Wolfshade's life is in the paws of StarClan now."

I nodded, feeling strangely numb like someone clawed me open then drained all of my feelings out.

"I'm going to get some fresh-kill," I muttered, pulling myself to my paws, then staggering out of the den.

I padded outside and took a deep breath as I felt the warm touch of sunshine on my whiskers. I looked around the camp, seeing cats go about their daily chores and patrols. I sighed. The normality was comforting. Out here I could pretend that everything was alright. I didn't have to see Wolfshade.

Just looking at him hurt.

I shook my head, and the movement caused a small jolt of pain that, thankfully, distracted me from my thoughts. I padded across the gorge towards the fresh-kill pile.

"Ho! SkyClan beware! Badgerslayer is coming through!"

My ear twitched towards the voice. It was Lionclaw, calling from the corner of the camp where he was lying in a pool of sunlight with Nightstorm, Ravenfur, and Creamclaw.

I clenched my jaw, tail tip twitching with annoyance, but I ignored my obnoxious friend, continuing to determinedly limp towards the fresh-kill pile.

"Badgerslayer is upset that Badgerkiller is still sick," I heard Lionclaw mutter to Ravenfur.

I whirled on Lionclaw.

"My name is Lightningfire, and his is Wolfshade," I hissed.

Lionclaw blinked, taken back.

"I know, Lightningfire. I was only joking," he meowed.

I blinked, my ears flattening. I felt bad for yelling at my friend. My body started to tremble.

"What's wrong?" Lionclaw meowed, getting to his paws and padding over to me.

"He might never wake up, Lionclaw," I whispered, my voice breaking as I struggled over the words.

His amber eyes shined with sadness.

"I'm so sorry, Lightningfire. And, I'm sorry that I said anything," he said in a low voice. "Wolfshade and Bouncefire…"

Lionclaw's voice trailed off, and I could see that he still ached with grief at the loss of his half-brother.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," I rasped, feeling absolutely broken.

My legs were shaking so hard I could barely stand. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Sagewhisker watching at me from across the camp. I saw him get to his paws, but Lionclaw was already at my side. I leaned against my friend's pelt, burying my face in his long golden fur. Lionclaw let me grieve against his shoulder, gently pressing himself against me in a silent show of support.

"I love him," I whispered to myself, not loud enough for Lionclaw to hear.

Once I recovered, I left Lionclaw with a soft "Thank you," and finally made it to the fresh-kill pile.

I scarfed down a small mouse, not feeling hungry. My thoughts were whirling, distracting me from the taste of the food. Once I finished, I got to my paws and padded straight back to the medicine cat's den.

"Will you teach me?" I meowed to Echosong.

She looked up at me in surprise.

"Teach you what, Lightningfire?" she asked, sitting and curling her tail around her paws.

I nodded towards Wolfshade.

"How to care for him. What herbs you use on his face. How to put them on. Everything," I meowed.

Echosong gave me a slightly puzzled look.

"I don't mind teaching you more about herbs, but I'm curious... Why do you want to know?" she asked.

I sighed, bowing my head.

"The attack is kind of my fault. I was fighting with Wolfshade, so that's why Leafstar sent us on the patrol in the first place. She wanted us to make up," I meowed quietly.

"If Wolfshade dies—"

My voice cracked. I swallowed and continued.

"If he dies I want to be able to know that I at least tried. I tried so hard to save him," I said.

"Oh Lightningfire, this isn't your fault," Echosong said, getting to her paws and padding over to me.

She went to lay her tail over my shoulders in a comforting gesture, but I shrugged it off.

"Please," I said, looking at her.

She gazed at me silently for a moment before nodding.

Echosong went to the back of her den to the herb supply and came back with two different herbs in her mouth.

"This is marigold," she meowed, pawing at a pile of green leafs and yellow petals. "It treats and prevents infection. And, this is goldenrod," she touched a slimmer stalk that still had a few faded yellow flowers attached to one end. "It helps wounds heal."

"I've been chewing the two together in a poultice and using cobwebs to bind the herbs to the wound on his face," Echosong continued.

I nodded, doing the best to commit what she said to memory. Then Echosong showed me how to chew them into a poultice. She showed me how to clean the old, dry, crumbling herbs off of Wolfshade's face and apply the new ones, putting sticky cobwebs at the edges to keep them on. Once that was done, my mind buzzed and my paws still itched for more to do, so she led me to the back of the den, where tons of different herbs were lined up in cracks in the cave wall. She took different herbs out and had me sniff each of them. She told me what they are and what they're used for until my mind felt like it would burst if I had to remember one more name.

I went to bed with my mind buzzing with herbs. I gazed at Wolfshade, seeing the herbs I applied on his face and a new feeling of purpose settled over me.

 _Wake up, Wolfshade._

As long as I cared for him, as long as he still breathed, I could still cling to that tiny hope that one day he would.

***Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in posting, everyone! Life got really hectic for me for a while, but I'm back and should be posting regularly now!


	40. Chapter 39: Forgotten

I slowly came wake. I was curled up with my side pressed against Wolfshade's back. The rise and fall of his flank as he breathed was reassuringly regular and even. Morning sunlight shined into the cave, a beam falling across my closed eyes. I blinked them open. I stretched, my back feeling stiff. I lifted myself to a sitting position gingerly. My ribs groaned in protest at the movement, as did the slash across my back as the new, tight, still-healing flesh stretched uncomfortably.

I leaned over Wolfshade, tenderly licking the top of his head.

"Good morning," I murmured to his sleeping form.

Then I got to work. I checked the light scratches distributed across his body. All were almost healed, only faint pink marks on his skin. Next I moved to his face. The entire left half was masked in herbs and cobwebs. They were dry and crumbling from being on all night. I removed them with gentle licks, carefully peeling the herbs back as to not injure the healing skin. Four slashes from each of the four badger claws stretched from the center of his face to the left side. Two scars were above the eye, while two were below. The one closest to the eye just barely missed it, swooping right over the eyelid. Echosong said that the eye itself didn't appear to be damaged and she thought Wolfshade should still be able to use it. But, I supposed we wouldn't know for sure until he wakes up. His face had been badly swollen following the attack, but it had slowly receded as the days passed, and now his cheek was back to normal size. The large gashes across his face had disarmed me the first time I saw them, but the shock had faded as the cuts began to blend into the rest of his face, becoming just another part of his features.

I gently licked the rest of the herbs from the four wounds. Then I breathed in deeply, searching for even the slightest hint of a sour scent that indicated infection. There was none. My ears pricked as I heard Echosong stretching from her nest deeper in the cave. I got to my paws, padding past her towards the herb storage. She gave herself a quick grooming as typical of her morning ritual.

"Good morning, Lightningfire," she purred to me as I walked by.

It was another part of the routine that we had fallen into for the past several days, just like my morning greeting to Wolfshade.

"Good morning," I replied.

I padded confidently around the many piles of herbs, heading right to where I knew the marigold was. I picked up a few leaves, noting that the supply seemed low. I snatched up a couple stalks of goldenrod too.

"We need to get more marigold," I mumbled to Echosong around the herbs in my mouth, dabbing up some cobwebs with my paw as I said it.

"Really? I thought we had plenty left," she replied, trying to look around my legs to see the store from her nest.

I hobbled back over to Wolfshade on three legs. I put the cobwebs and the herbs down.

"We did but, then yesterday you told me to give some to Tangle to reduce the swelling of his stiff joints. And, we've be using it on me to soothe my stiff shoulder, remember?" I said.

I bent my head to chew up the leaves into a poultice. Once done, I spread it on the wounds on Wolfshade's face. I glanced up at Echosong thoughtfully.

"We can always use oak leaves on Wolfshade instead to prevent infection, if we run out of marigold. Or, I can go look for some more marigold today. There's got to be loads of it around. We've got plenty of water in the river for it to grow beside," I said to Echosong.

"You've learned a lot, Lightningfire," Echosong said with a purr. "And, you've been a great help these past few days. You can go gather marigold if you wish, but don't go far. You're still healing."

I bowed my head to her. Warm delight glowed in my chest that I got to go out of camp, even if it was only to gather herbs. I've been gathering herbs at every chance I got, just to see the forest again. The herb storage was overflowing, thanks to my frequent trips.

 _Echosong is going to dearly miss my help when I can finally return to warrior duties._

As I fixed Wolfshade's cobweb bandage in place, Echosong padded past me to grab a bite to eat from the fresh-kill pile. She coughed lightly as she walked by, and my ears pricked in surprise at the noise. But, Echosong shook it off and left the cave. I shrugged.

 _She must have had something caught in her throat._

I sat next to Wolfshade for a moment, trying to decide if I should get some food before looking for herbs.

Then I noticed Wolfshade's breathing pick up. I scrambled to my paws, staring down at him. Ever so slightly, he stirred.

My heart pounded in my chest.

"Echosong!" I shouted after her, my voice half panicked and half hopeful.

Wolfshade twitched in his nest and then for the first time in a half of a moon, his eye opened. The relief I felt at seeing the familiar grey-green gaze almost knocked me off my feet.

I gasped, feeling too overcome to form words. Trembling, I bent over and pressed my muzzle to his unhurt cheek. Blearily, he gazed up at me with his one uncovered eye.

"Where am I?" he said, his voice hoarse with disuse.

Echosong came dashing in the den. Quickly, she leaned over him, checking him over.

"It's okay. You're in the medicine cat's den," she replied.

"Echosong," Wolfshade said with relief, his gaze sliding to her.

I pressed my face into his face fur.

"I'm so happy you're awake," I said into his fur, speaking through the lump of emotion in my throat.

"Do—do you want some water?" I managed, pulling my face back from his.

Briefly, his gaze flickered back to mine.

"Yes, thank you," he replied before his gaze slid back to Echosong.

"I'll get it," Echosong meowed, vanishing from the cave.

I gazed at Wolfshade, warmth and relief tingling all through my body.

Everything was going to be alright.

"How are you feeling, Wolfshade? Are you okay?" I asked in a gentle voice, bending down to be close to him.

"I—I—I'm okay. I think," he said, blinking hard several times as he gazed at me. "I feel very weak though."

Echosong came back into the cave with a clump of soaking moss in her mouth. She dropped it at Wolfshade's paws. He quickly bent down, eagerly drinking. He lapped for a while, and I saw him relaxing, like strength was returning to him with every mouthful. Echosong and I both waited for him to finish in silence. My head spun, and I still felt like I was floating from happiness.

"You also need to eat something soon, Wolfshade," Echosong meowed.

Wolfshade nodded and finally lifted his head from the moss.

"I'm starving," he said, his voice clearer and smoother now. "And, my face hurts."

Wolfshade lifted a paw to touch his injured cheek.

"What happened?" he asked, looking at Echosong.

I opened my mouth. Then I blinked, my brow starting to furrow.

"Wait, you mean you don't remember?" I mewed, my voice perplexed.

Wolfshade's uncovered eye flickered from Echosong's eyes back to mine again.

"I'm sorry," he said hesitantly, his gaze apologetically, but guarded. "Who are you?"

My eyes widened, and I froze. My stomach dropped to my paws. I blinked hard, a strange rushing sound filling my ears. It felt like the sky was falling down around me. The delight in my chest withered like a flower in leaf-bare, dying in the icy wind and rotting under the snow. His question echoed in my ears; it was the only sound I could hear besides the flowing of my own blood.

"Wolfshade?" I whispered.

His name came out like a pained gasp. I took a step backwards. He looked at me, but his gaze was suddenly unfamiliar. It was his face, but no recognition shined in his uncovered eye.

"No. No. No," I growled, shaking my head over and over again.

"You don't remember me?" I said, a whimper escaping with the rest of my words.

I clenched my jaw against the escaping whine. I felt the brush of Echosong's flank against mine as she pressed against me in a gesture of comfort. Wolfshade gazed at me, his good eye wide with bewilderedness.

"No. I'm sorry," he said.

"I'm Lightningfire," I said my name forcefully like the word would make him remember it.

Wolfshade's gaze lit up.

"Like Lightningkit, Leafstar's daughter?" he asked.

Echosong's gaze and mine met in utter confusion.

 _Lightning_ ** _kit_** _?_

"Wolfshade, what's the last apprentice ceremony you remember?" Echosong asked.

"Briarpaw's, Lionpaw's, and Ravenpaw's," Wolfshade replied slowly, a look of confusion on his face at the question.

I sucked in a trembling breath.

Four seasons.

A whole year was gone from his memory.

"Why did this happen?" I hissed to Echosong, turning on her with slightly bristling fur.

She shook her head, her eyes wide with shock.

"I don't know. He must have hurt his brain when he hurt his head… the injury must have caused some memory loss," she replied.

"But they'll come back?" I said, more of a demand than a question.

"I don't know," Echosong murmured softly.

Wolfshade watched our conversation with confusion and interest. I gazed at him for only a heartbeat before tearing my gaze away. I couldn't look at his face. Not when it belonged to a stranger. Stumbling over my own paws, I backed away and bolted out of the den.

"What's wrong? I don't understand," I heard Wolfshade say.

"Lightningfire is just upset right now…" Echosong said from behind me.

I couldn't even make it across camp at a run. My ribs hurt too much.

I stumbled to a stop by Rockpile, panting wildly and chest aching. I stumbled over to one of the boulders, leaning my head against a large smooth stone. I let my claws unsheathe, and I dug them into the ground. Furious frustration and terrible sadness ripped through me, shaking me to my bones.

It felt like StarClan was playing a cruel joke. They returned Wolfshade to me, but they also didn't.

"It's just like while he was sleeping. I have his body, but not his mind," I muttered out loud to myself.

Nearly hysterical, I laughed hard at the terribly ironic joke.

"Lightningfire, are you alright?" A soft voice asked.

My shoulders shaking from the strength of my purrs, I looked up to see Sagewhisker hesitantly approaching me. I gazed at him blankly for a moment. Then slowly at first, I started shaking my head.

"No," I replied.

"No. no," I said with increasing frantic head shakes.

He walked over to me, and I pressed myself against his side, burying my face in his shoulder while hysterical purrs continued to vibrate out of my mouth.

"Shh," he soothed.

My purring died out, but in its place a strangled wail grew in my throat, and my trembling only increased.

"What happened? Is it Wolfshade?" Sagewhisker asked once I calmed down a bit.

"Is he… dead?" Sagewhisker said.

"He woke up," I mumbled into his side around the huge lump in my throat.

"Really?" he asked, his voice sounding relieved, but then he tensed against me. "Well that's good. So… what's wrong?"

I screwed my eyes shut, not lifting my face from his fur.

"He doesn't remember me, Sagewhisker. My face, my name nothing. He doesn't remember anything that's happened since four seasons ago," I whispered, letting out a wail like a kit.

I cut off the cry, but it took me a moment to compose myself. I continued to shake like a leaf in a storm, crouched down and pressed as closely to Sagewhisker as I could, like I could hide from the world in his short pelt.

Sagewhisker was silent.

"Oh, Lightningfire, I'm so sorry," he finally murmured.

I clenched my jaw, sorrow gripping me in its sharp, cold fangs. It didn't matter how sorry he was. It wouldn't bring Wolfshade back. Nothing would.

"Lightningfire?" a voice said from behind me.

I took a shaky breath, summoning my strength, and I lifted my face from Sagewhisker's shoulder.

Echosong approached me.

"I explained to him that he lost his memory," she said. "It really does seem like he can't remember anything since his half-siblings apprentice ceremony."

Echosong looked at me with pity in her blue eyes.

"You look like you're in pain. Did you injure your ribs again? Come back to the den—"

"I can't go back in there," I blurted out, cutting her off.

Echosong blinked, looking taken back.

"Why, Lightningfire?" she said gently.

"He doesn't know who I am," I said, blinking hard as my voice shook. "I can't see his face and care about him so much and have him look at me like I'm a stranger. I'm not strong enough. It hurts too much."

My voice trailed off, and I screwed my eyes shut for a moment, digging my claws into the ground.

"Will you leave us, Sagewhisker?" Echosong meowed softly to the grey tabby tom.

"But—" Sagewhisker protested, shooting me a look.

"Please," Echosong insisted, staring intently at him.

He relented, giving her a stiff nod and padding away.

"Lightningfire," Echosong said, coming to sit by me.

I glanced over at her, and she gazed at me with her wise blue eyes.

"Can you imagine what Wolfshade is going through right now?" Echosong asked softly. "He's confused and lost. He's woken up in a place that he's not familiar with. His brother is dead, and there are a hundred other thing that have happened that he has no clue about. The very cats around him are different than what he remembers. He needs someone to be there for him, to fill in those gaps in his mind. Someone who will be patient with him and who cares about him. Wolfshade needs you."

"How can he need me when he doesn't remember me," I whispered, looking at the ground between my paws, my tail dragging in the dirt.

"That's exactly why he needs you so much," Echosong said.

"What about me?" I whispered, my voice a rasp. "I need Wolfshade too. And, he's gone."

I looked over at Echosong out of the corner of my eye. She pressed her muzzle to my ear comfortingly.

"I know you love him, and you feel like you lost him," Echosong said. "But, you haven't lost him. He's back, and he can be yours again."

Echosong got to her paws. I looked up slightly to gaze out over the stream in front of me.

"How can I help him? I tried to help him. I tried to save him from the badgers. Then I tried to heal him with your herbs, but I failed both times. I'm not a medicine cat. You are, but even you can't heal his memories," I said with a sigh, closing my eyes for a heartbeat. "I don't know what to do, Echosong."

"Let's start with walking back to the den to him," Echosong said quietly.

I was motionless for a moment. Then I gave a slow nod. I opened my eyes and got to my paws. I turned away from the stream to face the camp again. Together, Echosong and I walked back to the medicine cat's den. 

I padded into the cave warily behind Echosong. Wolfshade was still sitting in his nest, but now there was a pile of bones at his paws from his meal. He looked at me as we came inside the den, his uncovered eye sweeping over my form curiously.

"Er— hello," I meowed as I walked into the cave.

"Hello," he said with a nod of greeting.

"I'm, uh, sorry for running out like that," I said stiffly.

"It's okay," Wolfshade said, sounding as equally as awkward as I felt. "Echosong told me that I guess I lost some memories, but that I knew you."

"Yeah," I said with a nod. "We know each other well. I guess I was just a bit shocked that you didn't remember me."

"I'm sorry," Wolfshade said.

He looked uncomfortable like he felt bad for inconveniencing me for his memory loss. I gave my head a shake, shuddering at how weird this whole thing was.

 _This conversation is so completely bizarre._

"Lightningfire, right?" Wolfshade asked.

"Yeah," I said with a nod.

"That's a nice name," he said in his deep rumbling meow.

I let out a soft purr, shooting him a look.

"What is it?" he said, brow furrowing in confusion.

"Oh, nothing," I said. "It's just that you've told me something like that before."

"Oh," he said, blinking a few times.

Silence stretched between us again.

"So…" Wolfshade meowed finally, clearing his throat.

"You and I… You're my…" Wolfshade said.

I stiffened, Wolfshade's voice from the past echoing in my ears.

 _'That makes me your… what?'_

"How do we know each other, I mean?" Wolfshade managed to say, giving his head a small shake.

"Oh. Well, um, it's a rather long story," I said with a nervous purr. "We've known each other for quite a while now, since I was an apprentice… We're friends."

I cringed as soon as the word left my mouth, a twinge of panic tightening in my chest.

 _Idiot! You know that's not right! Say something else!_

"We're _good_ friends," I meowed quickly.

Wolfshade's uncovered eye narrowed slightly in confusion.

 _Mousedung. I'm confusing him._

I clenched my jaw, giving my head a tiny sharp shake.

 _But, am I supposed to say? That he loves me and that I love him? Then he'd think I'm a complete mouse-brain, and he might never even talk to me again!_

"Are you friends with Minttail too?" he asked.

My ears twitched back uncomfortably.

"No. Not exactly," I said, the words awkwardly dragged out of me.

"Is Minttail alright?" Wolfshade asked, his eye widening in concern.

"She's fine," I said with a sharp nod, trying my best to hide the hot jealousy that bubbled right beneath my words and my pelt.

Wolfshade relaxed slightly.

"Is Egg alright? And, my mother?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

"Tinycloud and Bouncefire?"

I hesitated.

"Wolfshade…" I meowed quietly.

Echosong padded over to us, lying a small white paw on Wolfshade's shoulder.

"I'm sorry Wolfshade. Bouncefire is dead. He died in the same badger attack you and Lightningfire were in," Echosong said.

Wolfshade's eye widened in despair.

"No," he growled, digging his claws into his moss bedding, anguish in his green-grey eye.

"I'm sorry," I said, my heart twisting at the sight of the pain on his face. "I tried so hard to save him, but there were three badgers, against the three of us…"

Wolfshade turned his face away from me. He lifted a paw to press to his covered eye.

"How could I have been attacked by three badgers? How could my brother have died, and I don't even remember it?" he said quietly with a deep growl.

I hesitated for a moment before bending over and pressing my muzzle to his forehead in a gesture of comfort. Wolfshade froze, glancing over at me. I pulled my head back.

"Bouncefire's last words to me was to tell you that he loves you," I said softy.

Wolfshade gazed up at me.

"Thank you," he meowed quietly.

"Why don't you rest for a bit, Wolfshade?" Echosong meowed gently down to him. "You're still very weak. You need to get your strength back."

Wolfshade nodded. I sighed sadly, seeing the listless look on his face.

"Can you fetch him some thyme for shock?" Echosong murmured to me.

I nodded and got to my paws. I walked to the back of the den to snatch up the thyme, and I brought it back over to him. Echosong coasted Wolfshade into eating the thyme and drinking a bit more water and soon he had drifted off.


	41. Chapter 40: Memories

News of Wolfshade's memory loss spread quickly through camp. In the sunrises following the day he woke up, the medicine cat's den was flooded with visitors coming to see him. I watched Wolfshade interact with our clan-mates from where I moved my nest to the edge of the den against the wall.

I had seen him purr as Clovertail came in and covered his ears in licks. I had watched as his uncovered eye went wide when Lionclaw, Briarspot, and Ravenfur entered the den.

"You're all so big!" he had gasped.

I had watched him joke and laugh with Egg and Tinycloud like no time had passed since they last talked. And, I had seen how Wolfshade touched noses with Minttail gently, and how she had bent down to murmur something into his ear.

Echosong never let the visitors stay very long. She said Wolfshade still had a lot of recovering to do, and a lot of strength to regain, and he needed his rest. I had been so happy when Echosong padded up to Minttail and told her she needed to leave.

Wolfshade and I spent some time talking. It was awkward sometimes, but conversation was unavoidable, considering that it was only the two of us and Echosong living in the den. He was curious about what he had missed, and there were a lot of new things for him to learn and a lot of new names to remember. I told him about everyone. I told him about how we met Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver, and how they joined our Clan. I talked about the fox and how the rogues had saved me, Creamclaw, and Seedheart from it when we were only apprentices. Then I told him about Creamclaw and Seedheart. He had me tell him everything I could about the cats and their personalities. He told me that he wanted to be like he hadn't ever forgotten. I told him about our new day-light apprentice Sootypaw, and I told him about Cherrytail's kits, Owlkit, Adderkit, and Ripplekit.

"Is Sharpclaw their father?" he had asked.

"Yes," I had replied.

"I knew it," he had said smugly.

I told him about my younger siblings Wrenkit and Rosekit. Then I told him all about Nightstorm. I went on and on about my brother describing everything about him in detail, down to his missing ear tip.

And, finally, after I had nothing more to say about anyone else, he asked about the only cat that I hadn't talked about. Me.

"Who are you?" he said to me from across the den as I groomed my side very gingerly to keep my chest from hurting.

"What do you mean?" I said, looking over at him out of the corner of my eye.

My brow furrowed, and my gaze became concerned.

He rolled his uncovered eye.

"I haven't forgotten you again," Wolfshade said. "I know you're Lightningfire. I know you're a member of SkyClan. But, who are you?"

"That's a difficult question to answer," I replied, the tip of my tail twitching.

"You didn't have a problem answering it for every other member of the Clan," he said, straightening from his lounging position and tucking his paws under his chest.

His fur was a lot sleeker now, and he was starting to fill out again. I could no longer see the shape of his bones under his pelt.

"Fair point, I suppose," I said with a small huff. "But, you have to agree that it is harder to answer a question like that when it's about you."

"Yeah," he said with a nod.

He said nothing else. Silence stretched between us.

"…Well?" he meowed after several long heartbeats of time passed.

"I'm thinking," I said, twitching my tail tip again.

Wolfshade quieted, waiting patiently for me to speak.

I gazed at the ground. My stomach flipped with nerves, like there were butterflies fluttering down in my belly. I couldn't talk about me without talking about him. And, about _us—_ a topic that I had managed to conveniently avoid until now. How do you tell someone that you love them when a paw-ful of sunrises ago they didn't know your name?

 _The answer is easy: You don't._

I frowned at the whispering thought.

I would not tell him about our relationship at all? Just omit every gentle touch or sweet word out of all our history?

 _Maybe it would be easier like that. There would be an empty field for a new tree of our relationship to grow. While if I told him about our past, it would be like a tree trying to grow out of a rotting stump._

I hesitated.

A fresh start was starting to sound kind of nice. It would be clean and new. We got into the fight with the badgers and this whole predicament because of trouble in our relationship. Because we were fighting. I can erase all of that.

 _Don't be crazy._

I gave my head a tiny shake.

 _I have to tell him._

I imagined the pain I would feel watching him go about everyday with him being completely oblivious. And, it would be my fault. How could I live knowing that he didn't care for me because I never gave him the chance to?

And, besides, what our relationship will be—a friendship or something more, was not only up to me to decide. He had to decide too. So he had to know. He had to know what we had in the past, so he can decide what he wanted in the future.

"I've known you for a long time," I started softly.

Wolfshade pricked his ears and looked at me with interest.

"You were my best friend, and I'd like to think I was yours," I meowed.

A faint ray of sunlight poured in from the entrance of the den and fell across his glimmering gaze.

"You're still my best friend," I added, correcting myself.

I looked away, gazing at the ground.

"We've been friends for a long time, since I was an apprentice," I said. "Cherrytail was my mentor."

"She was mine too," Wolfshade said.

"I know," I said with a quiet purr. "That's how we first bonded I think. She yelled at you like you were still her apprentice."

Wolfshade let out a quiet snort of laughter.

"Cherrytail would do that," he said.

I purred with him in agreement. He looked up at me. Our eyes met for a moment before I looked away, softly clearing my throat.

"We spent a lot of time together. Doing mundane things like patrolling or hunting," I said, feeling myself getting swept away by the memories. "Then one night, I tried to sneak out to go hunting alone, and you caught me."

Wolfshade's was watching me intently.

"You didn't make me go back to my den though. But, you wouldn't let me go hunting alone either. Instead you came with me," I said softly.

I looked up at Wolfshade. I felt a deep ache in my chest as I looked into his eye. The green-grey color was so familiar.

"We hunted together," I said. "At the end of the hunt there was a nightingale singing in the forest, and you stopped and listened to it's song. You were listening to a bird not because you were trying to track it and hunt it, but because _you liked the way it sounds_. And, I remember thinking you must be the weirdest cat in the world."

Wolfshade let out a soft purr, and looked away from me. He scuffled his paws in the moss, his pelt prickling slightly with embarrassment.

"Until I stopped and listened to the song too," I said quietly. "And, I realized it was beautiful."

Wolfshade looked back up at me.

"I think things changed between us after that night," I said, gazing at him.

I looked away, towards the ground.

"At least, it did for me," I murmured.

I opened my mouth to continue.

"Lightningfire," Wolfshade said suddenly.

I looked over at him.

"I… I…" he said, searching for the words.

"… Stop," he said.

My ears flattened, hot hurt tightening in my chest at his words.

"I'm sorry. You asked—" I said defensively, my lip curling up slightly.

"I didn't mean it like that," Wolfshade said quickly. "I'm sorry. You're right, it is my fault for asking."

"What do you mean?" I said, my tail tip twitching.

"It's just…" he said, giving his head a small shake. "I mean, I suspected. There was something about the way you greeted me when I first woke up. How you looked when I couldn't remember your name… But, then you hadn't said anything to me, and I wanted to know."

"And, I was telling you," I shot back.

"But, I shouldn't have asked," he repeated, looking guilty.

Wolfshade looked away from me.

"I don't want to know," he said softly, unable to meet my eyes.

 _"What?"_ I said loudly, staggering to my paws.

I looked around the den, but it was empty. Echosong had left this morning to gather herbs, so no one was around to hear my outburst.

"It has nothing to do with you," Wolfshade said, managing to look up at me again. "I don't want to hurt you. You seem like a really sweet cat, and you've been nothing but nice and helpful towards me… but it's just that I don't know you."

"Do you think that I don't know that?!" I said, my gaze scouring his.

He looked away again.

"But, I do know you," I said, stepping towards him. "And, I know what we have. And, I know that I _miss_ it. And, I miss you."

Wolfshade continued to stare at the ground.

"I'm sorry, Lightningfire," he said quietly.

His face was an expressionless mask. I could see no emotion flickering in his eyes.

"It's just that all of this, forgetting so much… it's too much for me to handle right now," he said.

"Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I don't know you," I said, blinking hard as the white pain in my heart blazed hotter.

I whirled around and dashed out of the den.


	42. Chapter 41: Sealing Scars

I laid on a large boulder at the base of Rockpile with half-lidded eyes. The sun blazed down warmly on my pelt from above, and the rock radiated heat from below. The warmth soothed my aching ribs. As the sunrises passed, they healed more and more, but not as quickly as I wanted. On the large flat boulder, Nightstorm and Creamclaw sat on one side of me, while Whisperheart lounged on the other.

My ears pricked as I heard Echosong's familiar meow and my eyes flickered open.

 _Mousedung._

My heart dropped to my stomach as I saw her companion. Wolfshade and Echosong were walking out of the medicine cat's den and heading towards us. I had been doing my best to avoid Wolfshade as much as possible since our last conversation. I've been spending as much time as possible outside the den and I've barely spoken to him since then. But, just last sunrise, Echosong decided he was strong enough to be able to walk around camp, which made the chances of me bumping into him much more frequent.

I watched Wolfshade and Echosong walk across camp. My clan-mates greeted him cheerfully; everyone was happy to see that he was recovering well. As they drew closer, I was able to make out Echosong's words.

"…The cuts on your face have sealed so there is no more chance of infection. You should still have full vision in your eye, but I must warn you, the scarring will be dramatic," Echosong was saying.

 _They're taking the herbs off._

Half of me wanted to leave my sunning spot on the rock, so I wouldn't be too close to Wolfshade, but the other half of me was dying to see his face without the bandages covering half of it.

Wolfshade and Echosong walked by where I was sitting on Rockpile and came to a stop at a slow moving section of the stream. Echosong turned to Wolfshade and began to peel off the herbs. I slipped down from the boulder and crept over to Echosong slowly, driven by an insistent curiosity. She took off the herbs on Wolfshade's ear first, revealing that he was missing almost half of the outer part of his left ear. Then, Echosong moved to his face. As the last clump of herbs fell away, Wolfshade tried blinking open his left eye. He screwed it shut almost immediately, not used to the bright sunlight. He cracked it open again, and this time he managed to keep it open. The eye looked normal, although maybe it couldn't quite open fully, giving him an almost indiscernible squint. Grey fur was starting to grow back in around the eye and on his cheeks, but no fur would grow back on the four reddish-pink scars that framed the eye.

I tilted my head, studying his face. To me, he still seemed handsome, despite the four slash marks across half of his face. Both his eyes were bright and alert, and still the same grey-green.

"How does your eye feel?" Echosong asked. "Can you see fine? Does it move well?"

"Yeah. It's good," Wolfshade replied, blinking and flicking his gaze around.

Wolfshade took a step forward and peered down into the still pool of water to gaze at the reflection of his face. His expression didn't change the entire time he quietly studied his face.

"...Wow. I'm lucky I have the eye," he said finally, pulling away.

He reached a paw up to touch his face.

"Those are a lot of scars," he muttered to himself in a rough voice.

"But, when it comes to overall scar area, I think I've got you beat," I said with a soft purr of with amusement, flicking my ears back to indicate the wound that stretched along my entire back.

Wolfshade glanced over at me, blinking. He purred softly in reply, but he looked distant.

 _Oh._

My heart suddenly dropped. For a half a heartbeat, I had forgotten that he had forgotten his memories. I dipped my head, walking over to lap up some water from the stream to cover my blunder. My pelt prickled with heat, and I could still feel his eyes on me.

 _I've got to get out of here._

"Can I go gather that marigold that we're low on?" I said, turning to Echosong.

I kept my gaze locked on her's even though I could see Wolfshade's eyes in the background.

"I don't see why not," Echosong said, although she sounded slightly surprised at my abrupt question.

I dipped my head to her, and quickly whirled around to stride down the bank of the stream and out of camp.

"Hey! Want some company?"

My ear twitched back as Sagewhisker came bounding up to me.

"Sorry. I want to be alone right now, Sagewhisker," I said, not looking over at him.

I heard his paw-steps falter as he fell back.

"Alright…" he meowed as I padded away.

I sighed as I brushed into the undergrowth. Tenseness began to melt out of my shoulders as trees started to pop up around me. The branches swayed in a soothing way over my head. The sunlight shone green down through the leaves. Tempting prey scents brushed my nose, making my mouth water when I scented mouse.

But, I wasn't healed enough to hunt yet. My ribs no longer ached with pain with every breath and step that I took, but I could still not climb or run for long before they cried out in agony.

I turned my head away from the trees and towards the river instead, scenting for herbs, not prey.

After I walked for a while, I spotted a patch of marigold growing by a rock on the bank of the river. I padded over to the herb, nipping off the leaves and flowers I wanted. I gathered them together in a bundle and bent my head to pick them up. I stood, getting ready to head back to camp, but before I turned, a tree caught my eye from farther down the bank of the tree. It was an old willow growing out of the sandy shore of the stream and leaning over the water.

 _Willow bark for infection._

I padded over to the tree, scraping my claws against it to pull back the hard outer bark and dig into the softer bark underneath. I scraped the softer part of the bark out of the tree, then collected the fragments to bring back with the marigold. I picked up my bundle of herbs in my mouth and stood still at the edge of the stream.

 _I should go back._

I hesitated.

 _But, Wolfshade is there._

I took a deep breath, and I made myself walk back to camp. I walked through the sandy gorge, padding through the center of camp and heading towards the medicine cat's den.

"Lightningfire!" Leafstar called, bounding over to me from the cliff.

"Hi, Leafstar," I said, bending my head down to drop the herbs at my paws so I could talk.

"How are you doing?" my mother asked, concern in her blue eyes.

"I'm fine, Mom," I said, twitching an ear in annoyance. "My ribs are healing well. I'm not doing anything that Echosong tells me not to do—"

"I meant about Wolfshade," Leafstar said, quietly interrupting me.

"Oh well. I think he's doing fine too," I said, swallowing because my throat went suddenly dry for some reason. "He just got his bandages off this morning."

"But, are _you_ doing okay?" she said.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be? He's awake, right?" I said with a forced purr.

I bent my head to grab the herbs, feeling utterly done with this conversation.

"I've hardly seen you talk to him. You haven't seemed yourself lately," Leafstar said, draping her tail over my shoulders to stop me from picking up the herbs and walking away.

I felt my stomach twist.

"I guess he needs some time," I said quietly.

Leafstar bent over to give my forehead a lick.

"Everything will end up alright," she said.

I closed my eyes for a moment. I wanted to bury my face in her fur like I would have done as a kit, and forget about the worry of the world in the comforting touch of her pelt.

"Thanks, Leafstar," I said, opening my eyes.

I bent my head to pick up the herbs, and I walked into the medicine cat's den.

Wolfshade was the first thing I saw as I walked into the den, but I was quick to slide my gaze away before we could make eye contact. Minttail was there too. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her press herself closer to his side as I strode past them and padded deeper into the cave, towards Echosong.

"I've got the marigold. I grabbed some willow bark too, so we won't be low on any infection preventing herbs in the future," I called to Echosong with forced cheerfulness in my voice.

"By StarClan, Lightningfire, you remember herbs better than some medicine cats," Echosong purred, her eyes shining as she saw me and the herbs.

I shrugged.

"I'm just happy to help," I replied, but my pelt still warmed from her praise.

I felt the heat of Wolfshade's eyes on my back.

 _Keep ignoring him._ I reminded myself.

"Are you training to be a medicine cat now?" I heard him ask suddenly, forcing me to turn and look at him.

I recoiled in surprise at his question, like one would if they took a bite of fresh-kill and found it was maggot-ridden crow-food.

"I'm a warrior!" I said, shooting him a glare.

Wolfshade blinked and simply shrugged in response.

"Sorry. You just seem to be really good with herbs," he said.

I gaped at him.

 _How could those words have come from his mouth?_

I stared into Wolfshade's familiar eyes. How could I look at this cat and know every piece of fur on his pelt, yet his mind was a stranger to me?

"Lightningfire," Echosong meowed quietly.

I shook my head, snapping myself out of it. I turned towards the back wall to sort the herbs into their correct places. I heard Minttail murmur something to Wolfshade from behind me. I clenched my jaw, glaring icily at the sandy wall in front of me. As Echosong helped me sort the herbs, she noticed my poisoned gaze.

"You don't like Minttail," Echosong said quietly, a statement, not a question.

"They weren't even friends for a long while before his accident, but now she's cozying right back up to him when he can't remember their fight. The fox-hearted snake!" I hissed, not loud enough for Minttail to hear.

"If I recall correctly, you and him also were having a fight," Echosong said in a mild voice.

"We made up before the badgers attacked," I muttered, lashing my tail.

"So, what are you going to do about it? Will you tell him about his falling out with Minttail?" Echosong asked. "I doubt Minttail will."

I was silent.

"He doesn't want to know," I said finally.

"Know about what?" Echosong asked.

"Him and me. He doesn't want to know about us because he thinks he doesn't think he knows me well enough," I said with a quiet, frustrated growl.

Echosong was quiet for a moment as her paws worked busily sorting the herbs.

"I'm sure he'll come around," Echosong said.

"Look at the two of them," I muttered, flicking my ears to indicate the two cats behind us and how close they were sitting. "I'm not so sure."

"Wolfshade loved you, Lightningfire," Echosong said. "He can love you again. You just have to show him why he fell in love with you in the first place."

I clenched my jaw to bite back a cry.

It was all too much for me. This day. These past few sunrises. Every waking moment since the badger attack. It was all too much.

Paws prickling, I stumbled to my feet. Echosong started to say something to call me back, but I was already lurching towards the den's exit.

But, a familiar deep voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Are you alright?"

I froze, half turning my head back. I risked a glance at him. Despite the press of Minttail's pelt, and how she was scowling, and how she was crawling up next to him, Wolfshade's green gaze was only for me.

"I—I just need a moment," I replied, my voice rough.

I turned and walked out of the den.


	43. Chapter 42: A Medicine Cat

Echosong allowed Wolfshade to move back up to the warriors' den a few sunrises after removing the herbs on his face. I alternated between feeling relieved that I didn't have to see him every moment, and jealous that his body was healing faster than mine despite the fact that his memories were still broken. I still spent most of my time helping Echosong with her herbs, but after a couple of days of only me and her in the den, I found myself growing bored and lethargic. I started to spend more time sleeping in my nest, unable to find the motivation to get up. The den seemed a lot emptier without Wolfshade.

Echosong let me have my sleep. She said I'm still recovering.

I stirred in my nest, waking when the sun was already above the trees. I lifted my head and looked around the den, finding it empty. Echosong was already gone, gathering herbs or helping the elders or preforming some other medicine cat duty.

I stood up and stretched before padding out of the den. The camp was fairly empty, since all the patrols were already sent out this morning. The only cats I spotted were Waspwhisker taking a nap in some shade by the cliff, and Sootypaw carrying a bundle of dirty moss away from the dens.

I let my paws guide me forward, and soon I had left camp, padding down the bank of the river. I walked through the forest, following the same trail I had walked a few days ago. When I reached the willow tree, I stopped.

I padded over to its base. The gashes I left on its side from a few days ago where still plain and raw on the trunk. I lifted my gaze higher, towards the branches and the strands of green leaves that swayed gently in the breeze like long fur. I set my jaw in determination. Slowly, I rocked back on my haunches and reached up with my fore-claws to sink them into the bark. As I lifted my hind legs off of the ground, for I moment I hung suspended by only my front paws, and my ribs throbbed with bright pain. But, then I dug my back claws into the bark, and the pain subsided, the pressure take off of my chest. Very carefully, I climbed the tree. If I was healthy, I would have bounded up it effortlessly, but today I moved like a stiff elder. Still, I managed to make it up. I stopped at the first branch, not far off the ground.

I was panting and my ribs throbbed.

 _I will get a terrible scolding from Echosong if she sees me right now._

But, although my ribs ached, the pain was tolerable.

 _Still, I shouldn't push it._

I rested on the branch, deciding not to go any higher. The branch was wide, allowing me to lounge on it without fear that I would tumble off. I sunned myself, stilling my thoughts. I gazed out over the stream. The water flickered and danced with sunlight. I saw the flicker of minnows in the stream. The light filtering down around me was dappled as the gentle breeze swayed the willow's green leaves.

I stayed out there on the willow tree for as long as I could, avoiding the Clan and all of my problems. But, as the sun dipped towards the horizon, my stomach started to growl with hunger, and I decided I finally I had to return home. I climbed down slowly, and padded back to camp. At the fresh-kill pile, I ate a mouse quickly. The stars were out and shining when I made it back to the medicine cat's den. I curled up in my nest with a sigh and tried to sleep.

I found myself standing surrounded by grey fog. I stumbled forward, unable to see anything in any direction. The cloud around me was as tumultuous and confusing as the emotions that swirled in my head. I peered forward, and for a moment, I spotted a white and grey cat.

"Cloudstar?" I asked.

The cat didn't turn.

"Cloudstar!"

Calling his name, I bounded after him, and although he was so faraway, he turned back to look at me.

"What do you want from me?" I yowled.

A wall of blackness suddenly rose up around me. I whirled around, my claws unsheathing, but it had surrounded me on every side. I winced, closing my eyes and bracing myself, as it surged forward like a terrible wave and came crashing down on my head.

I gingerly blinked my eyes back open.

 _Why can't I see?!_

I blinked hard, but there was nothing but darkness in front of me. I turned, seeing nothing but more and more blackness no matter how I spun. I lifted my paw, waving it in front of my face, but I couldn't see it. I touched my paw to my nose and felt the soft brush of my fur against my muzzle.

My ears pricked as a yowl echoed through the air.

Suddenly, the sounds of cats snarling and the echo of battle cries exploded around me. I felt pelts jostling me from every side, pushing and shoving me back and forth. Claws unsheathed, I whirled around, shoving my way through the cats around me, but I still could see no hint of the battle raging around me.

"What's going on?" I shouted.

The blackness was punctured by a short, brilliant flash of white light from the sky. I screwed my eyes shut, blinded by its light. The flash was followed by ringing silence; the sounds of battle and the pressure of jostling pelts gone. I stood alone in the soothing darkness for a moment, hearing a rumble of distant thunder.

I gasped, my eyes flying open.

I staggered to my paws, stumbling out of my nest and towards the mouth of the medicine cat's den. I poked my head outside, expecting to be greeted by a torrential downpour and the rolling of storm clouds.

It was a sunny, cloudless day.

My brow furrowed. Squinting and confused in the bright light, I stumbled back into the den. I collapsed back into my nest, and soon I was sound asleep again.

When I woke up for the second time it was sun-high, and the terrifying dream felt a lot fainter in my mind.

 _It must have been a nightmare._

I rose to my paws in my nest, giving my fur a quick grooming. My brow furrowed slightly as I remembered the flash of the white and grey pelt.

 _Unless Cloudstar is trying to tell me something._

I shook my head to dislodge the thought.

 _Well if he is, he better send me another dream, and be a lot clearer about it next time._

I left the den to grab some fresh-kill, and once I had finished my meal, I headed back to the medicine cat's den. Echosong sat outside of it, lying out some herbs to dry in the sunlight. I joined her, and we lay the herbs out in companionable silence. We worked while our clan-mates bustled along around us, coming back into camp and leaving it on patrols. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar grey pelt as Wolfshade returned from the forest with Minttail. I locked my gaze on the ground, fiercely avoiding looking at him.

"No progress on Wolfshade?" Echosong asked, seeing my averted gaze.

"I'm open to talk when he wants to," I said, not looking at her either.

"Give him time, it's a lot to process," she assured.

"I don't know…I'm afraid I've lost him," I whispered, my paws stilling on the herbs.

Echosong was silent, swiping her tail over my flank briefly to comfort me.

"Do you truly believe that?" she asked.

"Yes… No… Maybe," I said with a sigh. "I don't want to."

Echosong was quiet for another moment. I moved my paws to start sorting the herbs again. Our paws worked steadily side by side. Echosong stared at the herbs, a faraway look in her eyes.

 _I wonder what she's thinking about._

"…Lightningfire, then there is something I want to talk to you about," Echosong said slowly, stopping from sorting the herbs to look at me.

I stopped too, meeting her blue gaze. Echosong took a breath and continued.

"You've been a great help for me this past moon," she said. "You're great at identifying herbs, and you've pick up medicine cat skills quickly. You're kind, compassionate, and clever. I was so impressed when you created a way to feed Wolfshade despite him being locked in a deep sleep. But, more than that, you also display a deep, innate connection to our ancestors. You've seen Cloudstar, and sometimes, I've heard you cry out his name in your sleep."

I froze at her words, my brow furrowing. My paws started to prickle as I guessed where Echosong was going with this.

 _Oh no._

I began to shake my head, but she barreled on.

"I haven't had an apprentice since Frecklewish's death, and I cannot serve SkyClan forever. Lightningfire, I think you could make a fantastic medicine cat, perhaps even one the best our Clan has ever seen," Echosong said, her eyes meeting mine.

I was surprised at the eagerness in her gaze.

"I hope this doesn't come across as too forward, and I don't want to pressure you into accepting, but please, at least think about it," she said.

I continued to shake my head, with increasing vigor.

"I don't have to think about it. I'm sorry Echosong, but I cannot accept. I am a warrior," I said, my voice gentle but firm.

Echosong blinked.

"It is possible for a medicine cat to be a warrior before StarClan turns their paws down the path of healing," Echosong said.

"No. That's not what I meant. I'm a warrior," I repeated, getting to my paws.

I squared my shoulders, lifting my head.

"I swore to protect and defend my clan until my last breath," I said, my chest swelling with fierce pride as I remembered my vows.

"Isn't that what medicine cats do too?" Echosong said in a quiet voice.

My fur prickled with the beginnings of frustration.

"You are young Echosong. There is plenty of time for you to find and train another cat who loves to heal and help as much as you do," I said. "And, I will always reach out an aiding paw if you are overwhelmed when many of our clan-mates are injured, or if you need someone to grab you a bundle of herbs. But, I will, and will always be a warrior."

I dipped my head to Echosong, the formal nod of a warrior to a medicine cat, and I walked off.


	44. Chapter 43: Something More

The sunset of the day after my conversation with Echosong, I moved back to the warriors den. Climbing the willow tree made me realize that I was capable of making the climb up the cliff if I was careful. And, I was sick of being alone in the den with Echosong, especially since things felt awkward after I rejected her offer to train as a medicine cat. My friends were happy to have me back in the den, especially Sagewhisker. He showed me the soft feather lined nest that he made for me between his and Briarspot's nest.

The large nest I used to share with Wolfshade was on the other side of the den, and now my half of the nest reeked of Minttail. I didn't even bother hiding my curling lip when I walked past the nest and caught a wave of her scent. A small part of me spitefully wished that sometimes Wolfshade or Minttail would occasionally catch a whiff of my old scent when they curl up on the moss. I also hoped that when Wolfshade first moved back, my scent was still strong and it mingled with his. But, I knew that was unlikely, considering the length of time he was passed out and our nest was vacant.

I sat in my new nest, while Sagewhisker purred something excitedly to me about how he was certain that I would be back to warrior's duties in no time. I nodded and purred along, but I felt like I had drifted faraway from my body and I was only half-listening.

Wolfshade padded into the den. His eyes met mine for the briefest of moments before he looked away and curled up in his nest.

"I'm feeling tired, Sagewhisker," I said as he paused for breath.

"Oh, okay," he said, blinking understandingly. "You need your rest."

I curled up in my nest, bringing my tail to my nose and tightly shutting my eyes. A heartbeat later I felt Sagewhisker's flank brush mine as he settled into his nest beside mine. I sighed softly, imagining the brush of his fur was Wolfshade's. Then I drifted off to sleep.

I crept down the side of the cliff slowly, sighing when I finally reached the ground. I stretched in the sunlight, feeling relaxed for a moment, before I caught sight of Wolfshade and I immediately tensed back up. I watched him walk out of camp on a patrol with Minttail at his side. I dug my claws into the dirt in anger and frustration.

 _If only he would quit being such a mouse-brain I could talk to him before Minttail sunk her fangs in him any further,_

"You know staring and sulking isn't going to make anything better," Echosong called from a few fox lengths away.

I turned towards her in surprise. We hadn't spoken in a few sunrises.

I dipped my head to her and padded over, hoping she wouldn't mention anything of her offer from before.

"And, what would you know about that, Echosong? You're a medicine cat. No mates remember?" I said, trying to keep my mew playful and light.

Inside though, my stomach churned with bitterness. I was angry. At myself and at Wolfshade, and also a bit at her, for asking me to do something I didn't want.

 _Echosong did nothing wrong,_ I reminded myself.

She just wanted to seek the best for our Clan, which she thought she could find in making me a medicine cat.

"I wasn't always a medicine cat," Echosong replied with a purr, her eyes sparkling.

I blinked, my eyes widening slightly in surprise as I remembered that Echosong had once been a kitty-pet. With ancestors and traditions that stretched back generations and generations, it was sometimes easy to forget that our Clan was so young. I felt my anger towards her ebb away as I imagined her young and confident, courageously leaving her home and two-legs to join SkyClan.

Echosong turned her head to cough into her shoulder. I took at step closer to her.

"Are you alright Echosong?" I asked, my brow furrowed with concern.

She dismissed my worry with a wave of her tail.

"I'm fine," she said. "I just had a feather from my meal stuck in my throat."

I blinked, not entirely convinced.

 _But, a medicine cat must know if she is getting sick, right?_

"How are you feeling?" Echosong asked, clearing her throat, and circling me to inspect my injures.

I shrugged.

"No more achy than usual," I meowed.

"Your scars have sealed well," Echosong commented, flicking her tail to indicate the long slash of pink skin that ran on my back from my shoulder to hip.

"It's an impressive wound," I agreed.

"Lightningfire!" a voice called, interrupting our conversation.

My ears pricked and I glanced up to see Sagewhisker bounding over to me.

"Hey. I know you aren't quite healed enough to go hunting yet, but I was wondering if you wanted to take a walk around the forest with me or something?" he asked.

"Oh, uh—" I meowed awkwardly, my gaze flashing from Sagewhisker to Echosong.

I looked at Echosong, widening my eyes slightly in panic.

But, Echosong just dipped her head to me.

"See you later, Lightningfire," she said.

I glared intently at her back as she padded off, leaving me alone with Sagewhisker.

 _Ugh, some friend she is._

My tail tip twitched as I slowly turned my gaze back to Sagewhisker. The pale grey tom waited patiently for my answer, his eyes bright.

 _What's the harm in saying yes? I'd enjoy a walk in the forest with a friend. But, I don't want to give him the wrong impression. We are after all, just friends._

I hesitated.

Are we though? Nothing seems like it'll come from me and Wolfshade. Sagewhisker likes me. I guess… we could be more.

My stomach flipped at the thought.

 _Did I want that?_

"Um… okay," I agreed hesitantly.

"Great!" Sagewhisker said.

His eyes lit up, and I felt a sudden sinking feeling in my stomach as I saw the eagerness in his gaze.

 _Mousedung. This was definitely a mistake._

As we padded towards the edge of camp, I spent every step frantically trying to think about how I could tactfully get out of this. I was about to fake a shoulder injury or start complaining that my ribs were really hurting me when I caught I glimpse of Sagewhisker's excited face when he turned to look at me.

"I'm really glad you're feeling better now," Sagewhisker said. "I've missed going on patrols with you."

I felt a stab of guilt for wanting to so badly get out of talking with him.

 _I guess one walk can't hurt…_

"Thanks. I think I can go back to warriors duties soon," I said. "If I have to take it easy for much longer, I'm going to go crazy."

"You were really hurt," he said, widening his pale green eyes at me. "There's no shame in taking some time to heal."

"I know. It's just that I love hunting and patrolling, and I hate feeling like a useless lump that everyone has to take care of," I said.

Sagewhisker let out a snort of laughter.

"You're not a useless lump. No one minds taking care of you while you're getting better," Sagewhisker said.

I twitched my ear rather than responding, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

We padded through the forest. It was a hot day, but the leaves swayed with a strong breeze, stirring my fur enough to keep the heat from feeling too stifling. We padded through the undergrowth walking in silence for a while.

"How does your chest feel?" Sagewhisker asked.

"It's good," I said. "It's not too painful anymore, unless I jump around or do something mouse-brained. It does feel tight some times, though."

"That's good," Sagewhisker said with a nod. "My warrior ceremony was delayed a moon because I broke my leg as an apprentice."

"Aw, that must have been hard for you," I said.

"Yeah," Sagewhisker said, ducking his head. "It was rough seeing Minttail get her name before I did. I mean, I was happy for her, but I was jealous. I guess I kind of felt like it made her better than me or something."

I was silent, trying to imagine a young Sagewhisker and Minttial.

 _I wonder if Minttail had a crush on Wolfshade even then._

"But, my leg doesn't bother me anymore at all," Sagewhisker continued.

"I hope my ribs heal as well as your leg then," I said with a quiet purr.

Wolfshade, Bouncefire, Tinycloud, Sagewhisker, and Minttail would have all been apprentices together for a while. Wolfshade had told me a bit about the time when he was an apprentice, but he never talked a lot about Minttail. He probably thought it would have made me uncomfortable.

 _I wonder what their apprenticeships were like._

We walked for a while longer without really talking about anything. Sagewhisker would occasionally comment on a tree or the hot green-leaf weather. I responded, but soon the conversation would die out and we would fall back into silence. Finally Sagewhisker slowed his pace, coming to a stop. I stopped as well, turning to look at him.

"Look, Lightningfire, there's been something I'd like to talk to you about," Sagewhisker said slowly, taking a deep breath.

I froze, feeling icy panic surge through me.

 _Oh no. StarClan, here it comes._

I shot a quick glance to my left then to my right, wondering if it was too late to run away.

"I think you must have noticed," Sagewhisker said, casting his eyes to the ground as his fur fluffed a bit with embarrassment. "The thing is… I like you a lot, and I think—"

"Wait," I meowed quickly, cutting him off, and startling myself as a sudden rush of bravery surged through me.

Sagewhisker looked up at me in surprise.

"Please don't continue. I'm sorry Sagewhisker. I didn't ever mean to give you the wrong impression. This…" I trailed off, gesturing to him them myself with my tail. "You and me, I mean… This isn't going to work."

"I thought…" Sagewhisker said, blinking at me in confusion.

I shook my head, gentle but firm.

"You're my friend Sagewhisker. A very good friend. I care about you, but not in that way. No. I can't," I meowed, giving my head another shake. "I'm not the right cat for you, and you're not the right cat for me."

Sagewhisker was silent, staring down at his own paws. Slowly his gaze drifted up to meet mine.

"Wolfshade?" he asked quietly.

I let out a soft sigh, closing my eyes for only a moment before opening them again.

"Yes. Wolfshade," I said. "Even if he forgets me a thousand times, it'll always be him."


	45. Chapter 44: I Still Dream of You

Sagewhisker stared quietly down at his paws, sadness in his pale green eyes. I took a step towards him and briefly touched my nose to his.

"I hope you find a cat that can love you in the way that I can't," I meowed quietly to Sagewhisker.

He blinked silently at me.

"I would like to still be your friend, but I understand if you need space," I meowed, pulling back from him.

"Thank you…" Sagewhisker said quietly. "You're a good friend, Lightningfire."

As the sun set, staining the sandy gorge red, we walked together back to camp in silence. The only sound between us the rusting of the undergrowth and the chirps of the birds in the trees. As we padded through the gorge, I spotted Minttail and Wolfshade walking together, side-by-side, like they were getting ready to leave camp.

I felt a rush of strength left over from my conversation with Sagewhisker. The surge of strength knotted in my stomach, filling me with nervous energy. I stared at Wolfshade and Minttail.

 _I can do this. It's now or never._

I took a deep breath, steeling myself.

"Give me a moment, Sagewhisker," I said before bounding away.

I dashed over to Wolfshade and Minttail, coming to a skidding stop in front of him.

"I need to tell you something," I blurted out to Wolfshade, cutting in front of him and Minttail, and forcefully halting them in their tracks.

Wolfshade blinked at me, his gaze uncertain. Despite his hesitance, I locked my eyes with his, digging my paws into the ground and bracing myself.

"I know you told me that you don't want to know. And, that you need time, and space, and whatever, and I've been giving it to you," I said, the words rushing out of me like flooding water.

I took a deep breath, unsheathing my claws and digging them into the ground.

"But, I'm tired of waiting because it's killing me," I said.

Wolfshade blinked at me, a mixture of surprise and confusion on his face.

"And, you know what?" I continued. "I don't think you need time; I think you're just scared. You're scared and selfish because it's all new to you since you can't remember and that makes you afraid. But, these memories, what you've forgotten, it isn't just about _you_. It's about me too."

I stared deeply into Wolfshade's eyes, searching his gaze with mine intently.

"And, you're hurting me, and I've done nothing wrong," I said, my voice breaking slightly over the words.

I swallowed, steadying myself, and I continued.

"So, you can keep hiding from me, and avoiding me as much as you want. But, you can't hide from the past, and you can't change it either, even if you can't remember it. Because it _happened,_ Wolfshade," I said, looking into his grey-green eyes.

"I loved you. I'm still in love with you," I said, my voice a rasp.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Minttail's lip curl back in anger. She lunged forward, but Sagewhisker leapt in front of her, blocking her from running to me. Minttail's green's flared as she glared at her brother as he stood in front of her, then she slid her gaze away from him to watch Wolfshade, waiting for his response. I stared at Wolfshade too. This whole time, his gaze had never left mine.

Wolfshade's eyes stretched wide as he stood frozen in shocked silence. Only a few heartbeats passed, but it felt like moons to me.

"I'm sorry, Lightningfire, but I'm not that cat any more," Wolfshade mumbled finally, dropping his gaze from mine.

I closed my eyes, feeling my heart tearing in my chest.

"I understand," I whispered, opening my eyes and forcing myself to look at him.

"I just had to tell you once. I never got the chance to before," I said, upset at myself for how broken my voice sounded.

I stepped forward and tilted my head to press my nose to Wolfshade's. His gaze flickered up to mine in surprise. I stared deeply into his grey-green gaze. The eyes I knew so well.

"Goodbye, Wolfshade," I breathed, with the finality I had whispered into Bouncefire's fur the night of his vigil.

Then I stepped back and turned aside, leaving the three of them standing in the camp. I walked off into the forest and didn't look back.

I brushed through the quickly darkening undergrowth, and behind me I heard the sound of paw steps and snapping twigs.

"Lightningfire!" Sagewhisker called.

"I want to be alone, Sagewhisker," I said, continuing to press through the ferns.

I heard Sagewhisker's paw steps falter then stop, leaving me alone in the forest.

 _Wolfshade would have gone after me, no matter what I said._

I felt a deep mournfulness settle over me.

 _No, that Wolfshade is gone. This Wolfshade would not have run after me either._

The dark trees loomed over me, completely silent except for the swirling of the wind through the branches. I walked with no destination in mind, moving slowly to keep the ache of my ribs away. Eventually, I reached the scent markers that announced the end of our territory. I paused at the border, staring out into the unfamiliar forest.

 _What if I just kept walking? How long would it take the Clan to notice I was gone?_

They'd surely send a search party out, but when they tracked my scent to the border, would they keep going? How far would my family and friends go to get me back?

 _No._

I gave my head a rough shake, stopping the thoughts and turning aside.

Running away would not solve any of my problems, only create new ones. Anyways, what would I even do without my Clan? I'd never be a kittypet, so I guess I'd become a rogue. I'd live on my own, hunt on my own, and maybe one day find a nice cat who'd become my mate, and we'd raise a litter of kits together.

As I padded away from the border, I cast a final glance over my shoulder towards the unknown trees.

 _Maybe being a rogue isn't actually all that bad._

I gazed into the forest for a moment longer before I turned back towards the camp.

The only problem was that when I imagined my hypothetical rogue mate, I could only see Wolfshade.

It was the dead of night when I made it back to the camp. I hovered around the edge of the gorge that led to the center of the camp, hiding in the bushes.

 _Do I really want to go back to my nest?_

I hesitated, looking out over the sandy gorge that stretched in front of me. Finally, I decided to turn aside. Back in the forest, far past the edge of our camp, the gorge walls were low. I scrambled up the small cliff. It should have been an easy climb, but I was left panting at the top, short of breath. After I recovered for a moment, I heaved myself up and turned back in the direction I came, walking back along the top of the cliff towards the camp again. I made it back to camp, but now I was on the top of the cliff above the dens, high off the ground. I couldn't climb directly down the cliff, but more importantly, other cats couldn't climb directly up. I sat on the grassy cliff top, careful to stay away from the edge, so I didn't knock any stray rocks down into the camp. I turned my eyes upward to Silverpelt.

 _What have I done to deserve this?_ I silently asked the stars.

I sighed, bowing my head.

 _Oh, Wolfshade._

I was filled with deep mourning and grief, but also a strange sort of acceptance crept over me. I felt oddly... at peace.

I had seen there was no hope to mend our relationship. I had stared deep into the eyes of the cat I once knew and said goodbye to the Wolfshade I loved. And, now I could move on.

It was like there had been a huge thorn buried deep inside my pad, and I had been walking on it for sunrises and sunrises. But, now I've pulled it out. The wound was deep, and it still hurt. It hurt badly. But, without the thorn the puncture could heal. It just might take some time.

I lay down, crouched under the stars. I looked at the camp below me. I felt both close to my clan-mates, but also unfathomably distant.

 _My Wolfshade is dead. He died with his brother when the badgers attacked us, but I've only just realized it._

I stayed awake all night, holding vigil for the death of the cat I loved, until the sky began to lighten to turn pink from the rising sun.

Only then did I curl up right where I had sat, closing my eyes and letting my exhaustion wash over me.

 **XXXX**

"I want to know," a voice rasped from behind me, snapping me out of my sleep.

Startled, I leapt to my paws and whirled around. Wolfshade stood uncertainly a few fox lengths away, halfway in the edge of the woods. He was wreathed by shadows, his eyes gleaming in the pale light of the barely rising sun. Our eyes met, and he seemed to rally his confidence. Wolfshade took a step forward, the shadows falling from his face. My paws shook, and I had to dig my claws into the ground to hide their trembling from him.

"What?" I croaked, my voice hoarse from not speaking all night.

He lashed his tail and flexed his claws, but he didn't seem angry with me— more with himself. He paced agitatedly for a moment, turning to look at me over his shoulder.

"I want to know everything. What I've forgotten..." His voice trailed off, and his gaze flickered up to meet mine.

"What I've forgotten about you," he meowed.

My breath caught in my throat. In that moment our eyes met, a fiery connection blazed between us. And, for a heartbeat, it was like he was my Wolfshade again. But, then he lowered his eyes and the moment ended.

He shook his head.

"I'm sorry about what I said before. The truth is… you're right," Wolfshade meowed, staring down at his paws. "I was scared. I am scared. It's a lot…"

His voice trailed off as he struggled with what to say. His tail tip twitched, and he took a deep breath.

"…To find out that things I thought I knew aren't true. That so many things have happened, but to me, it feels like they didn't. It's scary to wake up one day and be told you love someone and not even remember her face," Wolfshade said.

I winced slightly like his words were a physical blow. Wolfshade took a step towards me, his face pained.

"I'm sorry. Please, hurting you is the last thing I want to do. I—I don't know what we were or are or supposed to be…"

His gravelly voice trailed off.

"And, I know the memories may be gone forever… But, I can't help feeling like I'm only living a _fraction_ of my life. I don't want to hide from the rest of it anymore. I owe it to myself to at least try to remember. And, I owe it to you," he meowed, his voice deep.

 _You do,_ a quiet, selfish voice whispered in my head.

I silenced it with a flick of my ears.

"And who knows…" Wolfshade continued, he looked at me with a shy, hesitantly hopeful expression. "Maybe something you say, somehow, will bring the memories back."

I hesitated. I blinked at him, unable to find the words to respond.

 _What should I do?_

 _Tell him everything, mouse brain,_ I replied to myself.

 _... But, should I?_ Another thought whispered.

I clenched my jaw. Every sunrise since the badger attack, I've woken up in pain, knowing Wolfshade was gone from me. And, now he wants to try to know me again. Any chance, any tiny flicker of hope that he could be mine again made me want to help, to try to make that happen. But, really, what was the chance that he would remember? That he would love me?

 _I would only be putting myself through more pain. Raising my hopes just to dash them against the boulders again._

He's the thorn I've just pulled from my pad. The wound can heal now with the thorn gone. And, this would just be stepping on it again.

I stared at my paws. Slowly, I lifted my gaze to look back up at him. Wolfshade stared at me, waiting for my response. I looked into his eyes, feeling my heart ache more and more powerfully in my chest with every beat.

 _But… I love him._

I began to nod, slowly at first, but with quickly escalating vigor.

"What do you want to know?" I said.


	46. Chapter 45: Familiar Friends

"Everything," Wolfshade answered, the edges of his fur glowing silver in the light of the dawn.

"That's a lot to talk about," I meowed, getting to my paws and padding over to him. "So, I guess we should get started."

Wolfshade looked at me with eyes that shone with the light of the rising sun. We were standing very close, so close our pelts brushed, but he didn't pull away.

"Are you busy? Do you have to go on patrol?" I asked.

"Well… Maybe. But, I left camp to look for you before dawn, and before Sharpclaw was up to assign patrols," Wolfshade said, looking a bit sheepish.

I gave a quiet snort of laughter and rolled my eyes, but secretly my pelt warmed to know that he had been out searching for me during the night.

"I suppose you're taking the day off then," I said, a gentle teasing in my mew.

I inclined my head towards the trees.

"Walk with me?" I asked.

"Sure," Wolfshade replied, turning to face my direction.

We headed into the forest, disappearing into the shadows.

"Ask me a question," I said as we walked. "Something you want to know."

"Um…" Wolfshade said, sweeping his gaze over the forest like he could find the question he wanted in the trees ahead.

"What do you know about me?" he asked.

"'What do I know about you?'" I echoed in confusion.

It was not exactly the sort of question that I was expecting him to ask.

"Yeah," he said with a faint purr. "So you can stop responding with _'I know'_ to everything I say."

"Oh," I said, with a purr, my fur prickling slightly with heat at his gentle teasing.

I was quiet for a moment, trying to gather all my thoughts about Wolfshade together.

"Your favorite kind of fresh-kill is rabbit," I said. "Then birds and squirrels, and you like mice least."

Wolfshade glanced over at me, a look of both amusement and surprise on his face.

"You don't like being around small kits because you're afraid of accidentally stepping on them," I continued, feeling more comfortable as I got into it. "Your favorite way to sleep is to curl up with your tail over your nose, and you have trouble sleeping in any position without your tail on your nose. You prefer hunting to patrolling because you think border patrols can be boring. You got the nick in your left ear during a battle with some rats."

"That's all true," Wolfshade said with a soft purr.

I paused for a moment to take a breath.

 _Should I stop?_

Wolfshade looked at me.

"Well, go on," he said, giving a nod, his eyes glowing softly.

"You love to climb. You get hot really easily. You like being the night guard on Skyrock," I said. "Your favorite color is the golden-orange color of the sunset."

"Wait I—" Wolfshade said, looking slightly confused.

I stopped speaking to glance over at him, and our eyes met.

"Oh, never mind," he said, the look of confusion dissipating.

"No, what is it?" I asked, my brow furrowing.

"No. It's nothing," Wolfshade said, shaking his head with a soft purr. "Keep going."

"No. I'm serious," I said, putting on a short burst of speed to get in front of him.

I planted my feet in the ground, forcing Wolfshade to stop walking. He looked down at me.

"What did I say?" I asked. "Is that not your favorite color?"

"I do like that color a lot. It's one of my favorites," Wolfshade said.

" _One_ of your favorites? But, not your _favorite_?" I asked, digging for clarification.

"My favorite color is dark blue, like the night sky," Wolfshade admitted.

I let out a soft purr.

"Are you saying that you _lied_ to me about your favorite color?" I asked, my voice gently teasing.

"No. No," Wolfshade said, shaking his head. "I'm sure I didn't lie to you. I bet that was my favorite color."

Wolfshade's brow furrowed.

" _Is_ my favorite color," he corrected himself. "Or is it _was_?"

He gave his head another shake.

"Sorry. Memory loss is confusing," he said.

"Wait," I said, trying to get this straight. "The golden-orange color was your favorite color before you lost your memory, but it isn't now. So, that means four seasons ago, the sunset color wasn't your favorite color then either."

I looked at Wolfshade.

"Why did your favorite color change?" I asked, half to myself.

I didn't expect Wolfshade to remember the answer.

"Ah those sorts of things happen I suppose," Wolfshade said, breaking eye contact with me to look out into the forest.

I noticed the muscles in his shoulders tensed slightly as he looked away.

"Hey…" I said, my brow furrowing. "Hold on…You know, don't you?"

"What? No…" Wolfshade said in his deep meow, shaking his head.

"I can't believe it," I said, a playful purr building in my throat. "You're such a liar, Wolfshade. Tell me why."

"It's nothing," Wolfshade said, his fur starting to prickle with heat.

"Oh come on," I said, purring as I prodded his shoulder with a paw. "Why did golden, sunset orange become your favorite color?"

Wolfshade closed his eyes in resignation. He began to purr softly, giving his head a slow shake. Then he opened his eyes, and his gaze met mine.

"That's the same color as your eyes, Lightningfire," Wolfshade said.

"I—oh," I said, my mouth opening then closing again.

Now it was my turn for my fur to flush with heat. Wolfshade glanced down at my prickling pelt, and he purred loudly, a strangely gentle look in his green-grey eyes. He brushed past me with his shoulders still vibrating with purrs. I felt an excited flutter in my belly at the sound of his purrs.

 _Wow this is going… really well._

I turned to follow him, trotting to his side and matching my pace with his.

We walked for a bit without saying anything, until my stomach growled loudly, breaking the silence that hung between us. It was so loud I was surprised that the earth didn't shake around us. I curled my tail over my stomach, my fur flushing with embarrassment.

"Are you hungry?" Wolfshade asked, looking over at me.

"Yeah, sorry. I haven't eaten since early yesterday," I said, giving an awkward purr to try to diffuse the situation.

My stomach growled as loudly as a monster again as if to confirm my words. I ducked my head, silently dying of embarrassment.

 _Oh StarClan, I wish the ground would just open up and swallow me whole._

"Let me catch you something," Wolfshade said, lifting his head to scent the air.

"Er, no, you don't have to," I said, my fur still feeling hot with embarrassment. "Maybe we should just go back to camp. I'm sure cats are wondering where we are anyways…"

"No, it's no problem," Wolfshade said, giving me a look and tilting his head to the side. "I mean, we can go back to camp if you want, but we've barely begun our conversation."

 _That's really considerate of him._

"Yeah, you're right. Okay," I said, glancing at him.

"What's the matter?" he asked, gentle teasing in his voice. "Sick of talking with me already?"

"No, of course not," I said, giving a quiet purr. "You're taking this… How you're acting is different than I expected you to I guess."

Wolfshade looked slightly confused.

"You aren't exactly treating me like a stranger," I said, trying to clarify. "You're not behaving how I thought you would, so it's kind of freaking me out."

Wolfshade's brow furrowed.

"No. No," I said quickly, seeing the uncertain look on his face.

 _Mousedung. I've got to backtrack. I just had to open my stupid mouth._

"It's weird, but it's a _good_ weird," I said.

I lifted my paw to press to my face, wishing I could melt into the ground again.

"Ugh that came out all wrong," I said. "What I mean—"

"Did you always babble like this when you got nervous?" Wolfshade asked, a gleam in his green eyes.

"Yes," I said, giving a shy purr. "But, I think you found it cute."

Wolfshade purred back in response, amusement shining in his eyes.

"Alright," he said. "I'm going to catch you some prey now."

"Okay," I said.

Wolfshade started to turn aside.

"And… I kind of get what you're saying," Wolfshade said, looking back at me before he walked away. "I feel comfortable with you. I mean, I still can't remember anything, but… you're familiar. I do kind of get this feeling like I know you."

Our gazes met.

"It's something, right?" he asked.

I nodded, a gentle warmth in my chest.

"Yeah, it's something," I agreed.


	47. Chapter 46: Lost

"Stay there. I'll be right back," Wolfshade said with a nod.

Then he vanished into the undergrowth. I didn't have to wait long until he was back, carrying a vole in his jaws. He dropped it in front of me, and I bent my head to quickly devour it. I reeled myself back in when there was only two bites or so of the vole left.

"Here," I said, nudging what remained of the prey to Wolfshade with my nose. "You can have the rest."

"No thanks. I'm okay," Wolfshade said, shaking his head.

I hesitated, wondering if I should insist. Then I ducked my head and quickly finished the prey off.

"Ah, thank you for indulging my selfishness," I said, swiping my tongue over my lips.

Wolfshade laughed.

"I could tell you wanted it," he said.

I stretched, feeling comfortably full. Then I straightened, and without verbal agreement, we began to walk again.

"I have another question," Wolfshade said as we padded along, leaning over to me slightly so that our fur brushed.

"Go ahead. What is it?" I asked, warmth blossoming in my chest at the touch of his pelt.

"When did I first start having feelings for you?" Wolfshade asked.

"Well… I don't know when, exactly," I said. "I mean, you never told me when it first happened."

"You seem to know me well," Wolfshade said, keeping his gaze locked in front of him, but there was an warm edge to his voice when he spoke. "So, guess."

"Alright," I said. "I'd say… the day of my hunting assessment. I was mid-way through my apprentice training, and you were assigned to be my hunting partner for the test."

"Tell me about the day," Wolfshade said.

"It was the middle of leaf-bare, so it was cold and raining," I said. "Really miserable weather. But, you and I still had a great time together. We make a really good hunting team, by the way. We caught this squirrel when I had you climb a tree, and I climbed a different one. Then I chased the squirrel from my tree, and it jumped across into your tree and practically right into your paws."

"Cherrytail was really impressed with that kill," I added.

"You chased a squirrel across a tree I caught it in a different one?" Wolfshade repeated sounding slightly incredulous.

"Do you not believe me?" I teased, looking over at him out of the corner of my eye.

"You don't remember seeing me hunt, Wolfshade. I put all our clan-mates to shame," I boasted.

"Of course you do," Wolfshade said, amusement in his meow.

"But, anyways, to end the story," I said. "So, we just had a lot of fun, and I guess you seemed warmer towards me after that day."

Wolfshade nodded, looking thoughtful.

I gave a soft snort of laughter.

"What is it?" Wolfshade asked, looking over at me.

"I just realized something," I said with a purr, turning to look at him as well.

"You don't remember that you were my mentor, do you?" I asked.

"…What?" Wolfshade said, his eyes widening as he opened his mouth, then closed it again.

He gave his head a shake.

"Wait a moment, I thought Cherrytail was your mentor?" he asked, his brow furrowed with confusion.

"She was, but then she was expecting her kits, so Leafstar assigned you to take over for my last moon of training," I said.

"I bet you liked that," Wolfshade said, his mew teasing.

I gave another snort of laughter.

"What?" Wolfshade asked.

"Actually, I was angry, so I was a super difficult apprentice for you for the first bit of the training," I said, a bit sheepishly as I recalled how ornery I was then.

Wolfshade blinked at me, looking lost.

"By then I was already super into you," I admitted. "So, I wanted to run around in the woods with you and hunt with you and spend ages talking with you. I didn't want you bossing me around and telling me to grab some mouse bile or change the elder's bedding."

"Ah," Wolfshade said, understanding creeping across his face.

"I was also worried that you didn't want anything to happen between the two of us while you were my mentor. But, luckily for me, you were also really into me. So, after I had— um— some sense knocked into me," I said, lifting my paw to my head with a purr. "I realized I was being a mouse-brain, and we talked about our feelings for the first time… and after that I guess we were a couple."

Wolfshade nodded, and we both fell quiet as we continued to walk through the forest. We ducked under a bush and came out of the trees and into the fields of golden grass that stretched above the cliffs and to the two-leg place.

 _How is it already past sun-high?_ I thought with a jolt.

I had barely noticed the time passing. I scanned the field and I also noticed a patrol of our clan-mates further down from us, closer to the gorge. They were too far away for me to make out their identities. They didn't seem to have noticed me and Wolfshade, but still I angled myself away from them and towards the two-leg place, not wanting to be disturbed by other cats yet. I noticed Wolfshade also shied away from their direction. I glanced over at him, swallowing as we padded through the tall grass.

"…Can I ask you something now?" I meowed after another moment of hesitation.

"Sure," Wolfshade said.

"Has Minttail told you anything about the missing time in your memories?" I asked, trying to sound as causal as possible. "I know you two have been spending a lot of time together, so I was just curious…"

"No, Minttail hasn't told me much actually," Wolfshade said, narrowing his eyes in a slightly suspicious look. "Why do you ask?"

"She doesn't like me very much," I said, not answering his question.

"I gathered that from the way she lunged at you yesterday," Wolfshade meowed. "I asked her what that was about after you left, but she wouldn't give me a straight answer."

Wolfshade turned his head to look at me.

"What don't I know?" he asked.

 _She's madly in love with you, mouse-brain._

"I don't really know if it's my place… I guess it's up to Minttail to tell you," I said vaguely instead. "But, you do know that if you and I were together, then you and Minttail weren't together, right?"

"Yeah…" Wolfshade said, looking away. "Minttail and I—"

"Look, I don't know if you like her or what. You two did have this flirty sort of thing going on a few seasons ago—" I meowed.

"She's my friend," Wolfshade interrupted, but his pelt prickled slightly uncomfortably. "And, she's been kind of clingy since I woke up, but I figured she was just concerned about me."

"Do you think that she thinks you're just friends?" I asked, not making eye contact with him.

"You're dancing around what you want to say, Lightningfire," Wolfshade said, starting to sound a bit exasperated.

"Minttail confessed to having feelings for you the day of my warrior ceremony," I blurted out, the words spilling out of me. "She was jealous of all the time you spent with me; we were already together by then. You told her that you only saw her as a friend, and she got mad at me and you. Some insults were exchanged, and you and Minttail barely talked for moons, all the way up until the badger attack."

"I— What— Really?" Wolfshade asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

He grew very quiet. We walked along in silence for a couple of heartbeats. With every step, I felt tension building in the air around us.

"I'm sorry," I said, breaking the silence. "I shouldn't have said anything."

Wolfshade glanced over at me.

"Everything was going so well. Like it was just the two of us alone in the forest in this little bubble then I blew it by talking about Minttail," I said, shaking my head.

"I'm not mad at you," Wolfshade said quietly. "And, I'm glad I know now."

Wolfshade slowly shook his head.

"I just can't believe that she would hide something like that from me. _Lie_ to me," Wolfshade said, his brow furrowing with anger. "How could she just act like nothing was wrong?"

I hesitated, gazing at Wolfshade's face.

"She already lost you once," I said finally. "I guess she saw this as a sort of do-over."

I looked away.

"There is one more important thing that I need to tell you," I said quietly. "You and I were having a fight the day we went on the patrol and the badgers attacked us. The only reason why we were even on that patrol at all was because Leafstar assigned us to it together so that we could talk out our problem, and I could apologize. We made up right before the badger's attacked, but I don't want to mislead you and let you think that we had this unblemished relationship."

I made myself look back at Wolfshade.

"The reason why we were fighting was because Whisperheart told me something and asked me to tell no one else, but you were upset that I was keeping it a secret from you," I said. "I'm not going to make that mistake again."

I took a deep breath.

"What Whisperheart told me—"

"Lightningfire, wait," Wolfshade said quietly, interrupting me. "You said we made up right?"

"Yeah," I replied in confusion.

"Then you don't have to tell me the secret. If I forgave you then, and moved on, then you're still forgiven now," Wolfshade said, his gaze flickering over to meet mine.

I stared at Wolfshade, unable to respond for a moment.

"Thank… thank you," I said finally, gazing deeply into his eyes. "You're…"

"What?" he asked, tilting his head to me slightly.

 _Amazing._

"… Never mind. Nothing," I murmured.

We walked through the fields for a while longer in silence.

"I can't believe the sun is setting soon," Wolfshade said, raising his head to look up at the sky. "We've been out all day."

I nodded. I was starting to feel exhausted. I barely slept last night, and my body was not used to all this exercise again. I stopped walking, so Wolfshade stopped too, turning to me

"We should head back to camp soon," I said, pausing for a heartbeat.

"But, first… would you like to watch the sunset with me?" I asked a bit shyly.

"Alright," Wolfshade said with a purr, his green eyes glowing softly.

He turned to look towards the dipping sun.

"Not here," I said, shaking my head. "I know the perfect place."

xxxx

Wolfshade and I stood at the base of an tall, old pine tree.

"Follow me," I said, digging my claws into the trunk. "We have to climb almost all the way up."

Wolfshade trailed me as we scaled the tree. To accommodate my injuries, I climbed slowly. I know Wolfshade would have normally climbed much faster than this, but today he didn't seem to mind the speed. Wolfshade patiently followed me up the trunk. We climbed past the canopies of the other trees, so that there was nothing around us but open air. I breathed the clean, cool scents in deeply, as the wind whipped around my head, ruffling my fur. I noticed the branches around us were growing thin. I scanned the trunk above me for a few heartbeats before spotting the hollow, hidden in the shadows, only few more tail lengths above us.

"We're here," I meowed.

Panting slightly from the excursion, I slipped into the moss filled hollow in the trunk, turning to face it's entrance and moving to the side to make room for Wolfshade. Wolfshade followed me in, blinking in the shadows.

"This is really high," he meowed, studying the hollow with a curious gaze.

"Soft moss," he added, pawing at the ground.

"That's not the best part. Look," I said, nodding towards the entrance.

Wolfshade turned to look back outside.

"Whoa," he gasped.

The sun was setting, and it was a brilliant orange. The sky immediately surrounding it was a deep red, and the clouds were a light pink, like rose petals that hung suspended in the sky. Stretching out from under us and all the way towards the sun was an unbroken sea of shadowed leaves. The leaves billowed and rippled in the breeze like real water, and I could almost imagine that I could leap down there and swim through them.

"This is amazing... I've never seen anything like it," Wolfshade said, tearing his gaze away from the view to look at me. "It's beautiful."

I purred quietly. He turned to look back outside.

"How did you find this place?" he asked.

"I didn't actually," I said quietly. "You did."

Wolfshade looked at me again, his eyes widening with surprise.

"You found it chasing a squirrel up this tree, then you showed it to me," I said. "But, no one else in the Clan knows it exists."

"I found this…" Wolfshade muttered, looking around the hollow.

He gazed at the moss, and his brow suddenly furrowed.

I felt a jolt of excitement.

"Do you remember something?" I asked.

I leaned towards him, my eyes eager.

Wolfshade looked at me. He shook his head.

"How could I have found this? How could I have forgotten this?" he whispered.

Wolfshade lifted his head to look back outside. I saw his body tense. His lip curled up in anger as he gazed into the distance.

I studied him, my brow furrowed in confusion.

"What's wrong?" I said quietly.

Wolfshade sunk his claws into the moss.

 _"It's not fair,"_ Wolfshade spat, the words exploding out of him as the fur on his back bristled. "How could my own mind betray me like this? How could it take all this from me?"

He gave a growl of frustration.

"I know I don't know everything that I've forgotten yet, but from what I've been told, my life was good. I was happy," Wolfshade said, pausing for a heartbeat and swallowing hard.

I noticed his paws were trembling slightly.

"And, I _lost_ all that. I lost my memories. I lost that happiness. I lost you. And, now I'm lost," Wolfshade said, his voice cracking over his final sentence.

The anger seemed to drain out of him abruptly. His ears flattened, and he let out a long sigh. His head bowed like he no longer had the strength left to hold it up, and he stared down at his feet.

"How can I accept this? How can I just move on?" he asked quietly, his expression pained. "How do I know where I'm going when I can't remember where I've been?"

Wolfshade closed his eyes.

"… Will I ever be found again?" he whispered, his voice trembling.

I reached over, lying my paw on top of his. Wolfshade opened his eyes and looked at me with a gaze that was clouded with confusion and pain. My heart twisted as I looked into his beautiful, troubled eyes.

"I can't predict the future. I don't know if this will get easier or better with time," I said softly. "But, I do know one thing… I promise you; you _haven't_ lost me."

Wolfshade blinked hard at me a couple of times. I scooted closer to him so our flanks brushed. He turned his head and buried his face in the fur of my shoulder. My heart aching quietly, I gazed out over the trees and towards the darkening sky, letting Wolfshade hide from the world in my pelt.

* * *

***Author's Note: Hey guys, I just wanted to let you know that updates might be slow for the next week or so. Classes start for me soon, so I'm going to need a little bit of time to get settled before I get back to writing! Thanks for understanding!***


	48. Chapter 47: Warrior Duties

I blinked awake in the warriors den as the pale light of dawn streamed into the cave. I sighed, closing my eyes again for a moment to relish the sound of the warriors breathing or stretching or whispering around me. I had missed that quiet murmur of my clan-mates while in the medicine cat's den. I opened my eyes and sat up in my nest, giving my pelt a quick wash.

I had moved my nest again, away from Sagewhisker. It just didn't feel right to be so close to him after I rejected him not that many sunrises ago. My nest was now in between Nightstorm's and Ravenfur's. Wolfshade's nest wasn't that far away either. He moved his the night we got back from the walk as well, after Sharpclaw gave him a short scolding for missing patrols that day. Wolfshade and Minttail must have had a talk, if the poisonous looks she had been shooting me for the past couple of days were any indication. He hadn't completely cut off contact with her though, and I still saw the two of them talking occasionally. Wolfshade and I have taken time to chat too, but it has been nothing like our day-long walk and talk. He was busy performing warriors duties, and I was busy still being not allowed to do them.

I sighed in frustration.

 _I wish I could go back to hunting and patrolling again._

I stood, padding out of the den. I climbed down the cliff and into camp. I stood at the bottom of the cliff as I watched my clan-mates be sorted into patrols by Sharpclaw and leave the gorge. I sighed, sitting and curling my tail over my paws as I watched a hunting patrol of Wolfshade, Tinycloud, Sootypaw, Lionclaw, and Plumwillow form up at the edge of camp.

"Lightningfire," Echosong said, approaching me after coming out of her den.

I dipped my head to her.

"Hello, Echosong," I meowed. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm well," she said, inclining her head towards me. "But, I was actually coming to check on you. How are your ribs feeling?"

"They get better with every sunrise," I said.

Echosong circled me, stopping to run her paws over my chest. She put some light pressure on my chest.

"Does that hurt at all?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"Not really," I replied.

Echosong nodded to herself, looking up and down me.

"Well, it's been about a moon since you were injured, and I think you are well enough to return to warriors duties now," she said.

A rush of excitement surged through me at her words.

"Just be careful, no huge jumps out of trees," she added, shooting me a look.

"Thank you Echosong!" I said, leaping to my paws.

I looked over at Wolfshade. His patrol was getting to their paws, preparing to leave camp.

 _I can join them if I get over there fast enough._

Echosong nodded, giving a soft purr.

"Just one more thing, Lightningfire," she said, pulling my attention away from Wolfshade.

She lowered her voice.

"You haven't happened to have given my offer any more thought?" she asked.

I hesitated, my pelt prickling.

"I'm sorry Echosong, but the answer is still no," I said, feeling a bit bad as I gently rejected her again.

Echosong's whiskers drooped slightly, and her gaze grew distant.

"That's alright, Lightningfire," Echosong said.

She nodded towards the patrol I had been eyeing.

"You can go ahead and join them," she said.

"Thanks again, Echosong," I meowed, turning and dashing away.

I ran over to Wolfshade's patrol before they could leave camp.

"Have room for one more?" I asked.

"Sure," Tinycloud said with a nod.

"Did you get the all clear from Echosong?" Wolfshade asked.

"Yes," I said, my tail curling up happily. "I'm back on warrior duties."

"That's great," Lionclaw purred.

Tinycloud got to her paws.

"Come on. Let's get going then," Tinycloud said, taking the lead out of camp.

Sootypaw trotted behind her happily, and the rest of us followed. I dropped back to Wolfshade's side, and the two of us fell into matching stride almost automatically. Trees began to pop up around us and soon we were in the forest.

"What can you scent, Sootypaw?" Tinycloud asked her apprentice.

I turned to watch the light grey cat, curious to see how his training was going.

He took a huge sniff of the air.

"There's some faint mouse," he reported. "…And, uh owl I think, left over from last night."

I nodded, impressed at how far the former kitty-pet's scenting abilities have come.

"Very good," Tinycloud said.

Sootypaw's chest puffed up in pride.

"And, if we can scent the owl, prey can too," Tinycloud continued. "And, they'll avoid the scent, which means we should keep going."

We padded deeper into the forest, until Tinycloud raised her tail to signal for us to split off and spread out to hunt. Lionclaw, Tinycloud, and Sootypaw headed off in one direction, while Plumwillow, Wolfshade, and I went in the other.

I raised my head, scenting the air. I caught a strong whiff of sparrow. I scanned the forest ahead, searching for it, but Plumwillow had already dropped down into a crouch. She crept forward, her eyes fixated on the sparrow. It was several fox-lengths ahead, pecking at the roots of a maple tree, too intent on its own prey to notice Plumwillow stalking up from behind.

Plumwillow was nearly on the sparrow when her paw brushed a fallen leaf. The sparrow's head jerked up. It took flight, letting out an alarm call. Plumwillow sprung quickly, but the sparrow was already too high, swooping away, out of reach of her slashing claws. Plumwillow landed back on the ground and gave a frustrated hiss.

"I'm sorry," she meowed. "I've been really clumsy lately."

"It's just bad luck," I said. "It happens to everyone."

Wolfshade nodded in agreement. Plumwillow looked down at her paws.

"I can't seem to do anything right," she said with a quiet growl.

My brow furrowed at how upset her voice sounded.

"Plumwillow… Is everything alright?" Wolfshade asked hesitantly.

Plumwillow looked up at him. At first she didn't say anything, but slowly her eyes filled with anguish.

She bowed her head.

"I'm expecting Bouncefire's kits," she whispered.

My mouth opened but no sound came out at first.

"Oh… Plumwillow," I said.

"But, he's not here," she said, turning her head away. "I'm scared, and I miss him. And, I don't know what to do."

She curled her tail around her belly.

"And, they're the only part of him that I have left," she whispered.

Wolfshade and I looked at each other. He widened his eyes slightly at me, giving a glance that said _I have no idea what to do._

I padded over to Plumwillow, touching my tail to her flank in a comforting gesture.

"Everything is going to be alright," I said. "Bouncefire loved you, and I'm sure he'll always be watching over you and your kits from StarClan."

Plumwillow sighed, not looking up at me.

"And, I know he would have loved your kits," Wolfshade added.

Plumwillow's eyes slowly drifted up, and she looked at him. Wolfshade's gaze flickered to mine for a heartbeat. I nodded my head to him encouragingly.

 _Keep going._

"I remember when Lionclaw, Ravenfur, and Briarspot were young kits, Bouncefire was always stopping by the nursery to visit them," Wolfshade said. "He'd talk with them and play with them, letting them clamber all over him, while he rolled around on the ground."

Wolfshade let out a soft purr.

"He was much better with them than I was," Wolfshade said in a quiet voice, looking down at the ground. "I always admired that about him."

Wolfshade's gaze flickered back up to Plumwillow's.

"Bouncefire would have loved your kits with all his heart. I'm sure he _still_ loves your kits even though he can't be here to help you raise them," Wolfshade said.

"… Thank you, Wolfshade," Plumwillow said softly.

I gazed at Wolfshade with shining eyes, a quiet purr in my throat. Wolfshade's gaze flickered from Plumwillow's to mine. He cleared his throat, breaking eye contact and turning aside.

"We should probably get back to hunting," he said, changing the subject quickly.

Plumwillow got back to her paws, turning away from us, and scenting the air. She started to walk away.

"Do you want one of us to go with you?" I asked.

"No I'm alright," she said quietly over her shoulder. "I think I want to hunt alone for a bit."

She curled her tail over her belly.

"Well, actually not alone," she said with a purr.

"Okay," I said as she padded away.

Wolfshade and I walked off together, scenting the air for prey. I glanced over at Wolfshade as we walked.

"Hey, uh, what you said back there to Plumwillow," I said, looking away when he looked over at me.

"That was… that was, uh… it was really good," I finished lamely, unable to find the right words.

Wolfshade didn't reply.

"Also, I wanted to ask— how are you feeling? Are you doing alright…?" I asked hesitantly.

Wolfshade was never very good with expressing his emotions, so I wasn't sure if he would even acknowledge our conversation in the tree from a few days ago, let alone talk about it.

"… I miss Bouncefire too," Wolfshade said quietly.

I glanced over at Wolfshade.

"I can't imagine what losing a sibling must be like," I said.

My heart twisted at just the idea of Nightstorm, Wrenkit, or Rosekit being injured, let alone dying…

"I can tell you it's not good," Wolfshade said drily.

I hesitated, unsure of what to say.

 _Maybe he's not the only one who's bad with expressing their emotions._

I pressed my muzzle to his shoulder in a silent show of support, so he knew that I was there for him. Wolfshade glanced back at me, and his green eyes seemed to soften.

"Lightningfire…" he said.

My nose twitched

"Wait," I said in a hushed voice. "I smell rabbit."

I took the lead, creeping through the undergrowth with Wolfshade right behind me. I slowly poked my head through a patch of ferns, and I spotted a rabbit ahead, hopping slowly through the forest, nibbling on a piece of grass here or there. I scanned the area around the prey. The undergrowth was thin here, making it difficult for me to stalk up to the rabbit unnoticed. However, there was a rather large bramble patch not too far away from the rabbit.

I ducked back behind the ferns, bringing my mouth close to Wolfshade's ear.

"I'm going to remind you of how good of a hunting team we are," I whispered to him, feeling his whiskers brush my cheek fur. "Give the rabbit a wide berth and loop around to hid under the bramble bush. I'll chase the rabbit right to you."

Wolfshade hesitated a moment before nodding.

"What's the matter? Don't think I can do it?" I challenged softly.

Wolfshade gave a quiet purr.

"If you can chase a squirrel across two trees to me, I'm sure you'll have no problem chasing a rabbit to a bush," he said in a hushed voice before slipping away.

I waited patiently, watching the rabbit from my place behind the ferns while Wolfshade got into position. Once enough time had passed, I began to creep forward. I stepped out of the undergrowth, moving with quick, quiet steps. It took the rabbit a moment before it noticed me coming. It's eyes flickered towards me, and I shot forward, my paws flying. The rabbit took off, white tail flashing, heading straight to the bramble bush to shelter under the sharp branches. The rabbit slipped under the bush, disappearing from my sight. I heard a sharp squeal, then silence. Wolfshade slowly came pushing out of the bramble bush, the rabbit in his jaws.

"Ow. Ow," he said, as the thorns pulled on his fur.

He managed to wiggle himself the rest of the way out, only leaving a little clump of grey fur in the brambles.

"Well done," I purred.

"You too," he said with a nod. "But, next time, you're the one that has to crawl into the bramble bush."

"Deal," I purred.

We made our way deeper into the forest, hunting together. As the day wore on, in addition to the rabbit, we managed to catch two mice, a thrush, a startling, and a squirrel. Soon, we had wandered so far, Wolfshade and I found ourselves at the edge of the forest, at the start of the fields above the gorge.

"Forget that owl that Sootypaw scented earlier," Wolfshade said, nodding towards the sky. "Look at the size of that bird."

I peered up to see a massive bird circling the field, golden-brown feathers gleaming in the sunlight.

"Wow," I said, my eyes widening at the sight. "I think it must be an eagle."

The eagle folded its wings in, diving suddenly. It opened it's wings at the last moment, landing on the ground, and catching a prey animal in its talons before its long, hooked beak came rushing down to kill the creature.

"One less piece of fresh-kill for us," Wolfshade commented and the eagle took off again, with what looked like to be a squirrel in its grasp.

"We should tell Sharpclaw or Leafstar about this," I said. "Kits could be in danger if it came too close to camp."

My thoughts flickered to Plumwillow.

Wolfshade nodded in agreement.

"Good idea," he said. "We should probably gather our prey and head back anyways."

I nodded in agreement, and we turned back around. We padded back through the forest, grabbing our prey from under the various bushes where we stashed it. As we headed back to camp, we bumped into the rest of our patrol— Plumwillow, Lionclaw, Tinycloud, and Sootypaw. Their mouths were also full of prey.

"There you two are," Tinycloud said with a nod. "Good haul."

"Thanks," I mumbled around the prey in my jaws.

With that, our patrol headed back to camp.


	49. Chapter 48: Teacher

Two sunrises after Echosong put me back on warriors duties, I lay on the ground at the edge of camp in the morning light, waiting to be assigned to a patrol while Rosekit and Wrenkit wrestled next to me.

"Take that, fox!" Rosekit snarled, giving Wrenkit a sharp nip on the ear.

"Ow! Hey!" Wrenkit said.

"Foxes can't talk," Rosekit reminded Wrenkit.

Wrenkit's quickly gave a deep growl, clamping his jaws shut against his words. He hunched his back, sticking out his tail. I purred at his ridiculous fox imitation.

 _The kit hasn't even ever seen a fox!_

My little siblings were four moons old now, and they were growing up fast. Their legs were getting longer, and they had lost some of their pudgy, kitten roundness, but none of their playful personalities.

"Watch out," I said in a deep voice, rolling to my paws. "Another fox has appeared!"

I gave my best angry growl and sprung at them.

"Eek!" Rosekit cried.

She and Wrenkit scattered. I swiped at them, my claws sheathed, snarling and bristling out my fur.

"Get her!" Wrenkit shouted.

He dashed over to me, springing onto my back. I gave my shoulders a shake, trying to dislodge him. Rosekit leapt into my side. I let them knock me over. I tumbled to the side, purposefully falling on top of Wrenkit.

"Mmmph! Get off of me!" Wrenkit said, wiggling under me, his voice muffled from my fur.

"Argh! I can't. I'm dead!" I said, lolling my tongue out of my mouth, closing my eyes and flopping my head back.

Rosekit tried to stifle her purrs, her shoulders shaking as she watched Wrenkit struggle out from under my body while I lay there limply.

"Ah!" Wrenkit gasped for breath as he got to his paws, shaking his fluffy brown and white pelt. "You almost suffocated me!"

I cracked an eye open to look at him.

"You look fine to me," I purred.

I closed my eyes and went back to lying in the sunlight.

"Lightningfire! Lightningfire!" I heard my name being called repeatedly.

I opened my eyes and sat back up. Owlkit, Adderkit, and Ripplekit were running over to me.

"Guess what day it is?!" Owlkit cried.

"What?" I asked.

"We get to be apprentices!" Adderkit said, crouching down and digging his claws into the ground in excitement.

"What? That's today! Not fair!" Wrenkit said, his brow furrowing. "I want to be an apprentice too!"

"Me too!" Rosekit added, running over.

"Well you're not old enough yet," Adderkit said, puffing out his chest.

Wrenkit's face fell, his whiskers drooping.

"Don't worry, it'll be your turn soon," Ripplekit said.

"But, it's our turn today!" Owlkit cried, leaping around, her fluffy fur bristling.

"Behave yourselves, you three," Cherrytail said, padding over to us.

"Are you really going to go to your apprentice ceremony looking like that?" she asked.

Cherrytail scooped her kits over to her with one swipe of her paw, bending her head to give them a quick grooming.

"Mom! I look fine!" Owlkit protested, her fur standing up every which way.

"Your fur is a mess," Cherrytail said between licks, trying to flatten it down.

Owlkit wiggled out of her grasp.

"Apprentices can groom their own fur," Owlkit said with a huff.

"Listen to your mother," Sharpclaw grumbled, coming over to stand at Cherrytail's shoulder, towering over his kits.

"Yes, Sharpclaw," the three kits chorused, even Owlkit bowing her head to him.

Sharpclaw's sharp green gaze softened, and he dipped his head to give each of his kits a nudge with his muzzle.

"I'm very proud of each of you," he said. "Listen to your mentors, and the three of you will make wonderful apprentices."

Sharpclaw turned to look over his shoulder.

I followed his gaze, and I saw Leafstar bounding up Rockpile.

"Looks like the ceremony is about to start," Sharpclaw said. "I've got to go."

He turned to look back down at his kits.

"Be good," he reminded them.

Sharpclaw turned and padded over to Rockpile, taking his seat at its base. As he settled down, Leafstar raised her chin.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather under Rockpile for a Clan meeting!" Leafstar yowled.

"This is it!" Owlkit said, bouncing around on her toes.

Cats began to gather around, padding over from the dens, appearing from the shadows under the cliff and blinking in the sunlight.

Cherrytail gave her kits a nudge with her muzzle, nodding towards the center of the camp. I saw their eyes widen with excitement and bit of anxiety. Even Owlkit shot a nervous look over her shoulder as they padded forward into the center of the ring of cats.

Once all our clan-mates were sitting, Leafstar nimbly bounded down from Rockpile. She stopped in front of the three kits, blinking down at them.

"Adderkit, Ripplekit, and Owlkit, you have all reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed," Leafstar meowed, her voice ringing clearly through camp.

She turned to the first kit in the line, Adderkit.

"From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Adderpaw. Your mentor will be Egg," Leafstar said.

The cream colored tom stepped forward, his eyes shining with pride.

"I hope Egg will pass down all he knows on to you," Leafstar said, turning to look at the warrior. "Egg, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Sharpclaw, and you have shown yourself to be brave and loyal. You will be the mentor of Adderpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Egg dipped his head to Leafstar, his blue eyes pleased. Then he touched his nose to Adderpaw's, and the two of them stepped back.

Leafstar turned to Ripplekit next. The small grey kit looked up at her with wide eyes, trembling slightly.

"From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Ripplepaw," Leafstar meowed, blinking kindly down at the nervous kit. "Your mentor will be Ravenfur. I hope Ravenfur will pass down all she knows to you."

Ravenfur rose delicately to her paws, looking surprised. Her tail curled happily over her back as she padded over to Leafstar and Ripplepaw. Ripplepaw peered up at her, blinking a lot.

"Ravenfur, you are ready to take on an apprentice," Leafstar said. "You had received excellent training from Petalnose, and you have shown yourself to be thoughtful and hardworking. You will be the mentor of Ripplepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Ravenfur and Ripplepaw touched noses, and they stepped back too. Leafstar turned to the last kit, Owlkit. Owlkit was fidgeting from foot to foot, looking like she just couldn't make herself stay still no matter how hard she tried.

"From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Owlpaw," Leafstar said to the small white and ginger cat.

Owlpaw finally stilled, gazing up at Leafstar earnestly. Leafstar raised her head, and her eyes met mine from across the camp.

"Your mentor will be Lightningfire," Leafstar announced.

I gave a small jolt of surprise, and I straightened my back suddenly, feeling the eyes of my clan-mates all turn to me.

"I hope Lightningfire will pass down all she knows to you," Leafstar said.

I stayed sitting for a moment, feeling like my paws had frozen to the ground. Leafstar continued to gaze at me in silence.

 _Oh! Mousedung! Get up!_

I quickly rose to my feet, striding over to Leafstar and Owlpaw. Owlpaw looked at me from over her shoulder as I walked over, her fluffy white tail sticking straight up.

"Lightningfire, you are ready to take on an apprentice," Leafstar continued as I stood in front of her.

I shot a glance out of the corner of my eye down at Owlpaw. She was rocking happily on her toes, gazing over at me.

"You had received excellent training from Cherrytail, and you have shown yourself to be dedicated and clever," Leafstar said. "You will be the mentor of Owlpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

I dipped my head to my mother, still feeling like my head was spinning from how suddenly this all was happening. Then I turned to Owlpaw. I bent my head down, and Owlpaw delicately touched her bright pink nose to mine. Her fur bristled with excitement as she gazed up at me.

"Adderpaw! Ripplepaw! Owlpaw!" the clan shouted.

Cats padded over, purring congratulations to the new apprentices.

"I'm not the only apprentice anymore!" Sootypaw meowed happily, his tail curling up as he twined around the three new apprentices.

Sharpclaw puffed his chest out, looking so filled with pride that he might burst. Cherrytail leaned on his dark ginger shoulder, her eyes glowing warmly with love. Owlpaw did a happy little spin, gazing gleefully up at all the cats surrounding her.

"Congrats on the apprentice," Wolfshade said from behind me, startling me a bit.

I turned to look at him.

"Thanks," I meowed with a quiet purr, giving him a nod. "I hope I'm ready."

"What are you talking about? Of course you are. You had two of the greatest mentors in the Clan teach you," Wolfshade said, a glint in his grey-green eyes.

"Hey! You can't even remember being my mentor!" I teased back, giving his flank a soft flick of my tail-tip.

"I don't have to remember to know that I did a good job," Wolfshade said with a purr.

His gaze flickered over me like the gentle caress of a warm summer breeze.

"I mean, just look at you," he meowed quietly.

I felt my pelt flush with heat. Wolfshade's eyes widened slightly like he just realized that he said that out loud. Our gazes met; our eyes staring deeply into each other's. Wolfshade cleared his throat, but he was spared from saying anything when Owlpaw leapt in front of me.

"What are we going to do now!?" Owlpaw asked, blinking at me and bouncing from foot to foot.

"Um…" I said, noticing that our clan-mates had dispersed as I rapidly realized that I had no plan in mind.

"How about we practice some hunting?" I suggested quickly.

My gaze flickered back up to Wolfshade. He dipped his head to me in a silent goodbye, his green eyes warm. I purred in response as he turned and padded away.

"Yes! Great!" Owlpaw said, running in a small circle around me.

I glanced back down at my apprentice, feeling warmth spreading in my chest.

"Don't tire yourself out already," I said to her with a purr, turning and walking towards the edge of camp.

"I won't!" she squeaked, excitedly dashing to my side. "I feel like I can run for moons."

I remembered how tired I was at the end of my first day as an apprentice, and my whiskers twitched in amusement at her comment.

 _We'll see about that._

"Okay. What's the first part in hunting?" I asked as Owlpaw and I padded through the gorge and towards the forest.

"Um… the hunting crouch?" Owlpaw asked, blinking up at me. "Look! I'm really good at it! Sharpclaw showed me how!"

Owlpaw dashed ahead of me, crouched down, then quickly stalked forward a few steps before springing on a fallen leaf. She mauled the leaf for a moment before looking back up at me with tiny brown shreds of the leaf on her muzzle.

"See?" she asked, slipping into the crouch again and stalking in a circle around me before I even got the chance to reply.

It was amazing how much noise her paw-steps made for such a small cat. But, I had to admit, the form of her hunter's crouch was pretty much flawless.

"You need to walk quieter, try putting your paws down more softly," I said. "But, your crouch is very good."

Owlpaw started delicately placing her feet down, still stalking in a circle around me.

"That wasn't the answer I was looking for though," I added.

"Huh?" Owlpaw asked, tilting her head at me, stopping her pacing. "What then?"

"You have to find your prey before you stalk up to it," I meowed.

"Oh!" Owlpaw said, her tail sticking straight up. "Of course!"

"What can you scent?" I asked as we walked into the forest.

"Trees…" Owlpaw meowed, sniffing the air. "Lots of other plants… Mud…"

"You have to try to filter those scents out. We're looking for prey," I reminded her.

Owlpaw wrinkled her nose.

"But, there's so many smells!" she protested.

"You know what prey smells like," I meowed. "Search for it through the other scents. Concentrate."

Owlpaw closed her eyes and took a deep breath for a few moments, standing still for once.

"I smell a vole!" she said excited, her yellow eyes snapping back open.

"Very good," I said with a nod.

I felt a surge of pride for Owlpaw even though along with the vole I could also pick up scents of squirrel and finch. I started to pad towards the source of the scent as Owlpaw followed, but then I stopped myself after a couple of steps, realizing Owlpaw should be the one leading.

"Let's track it. Where is the scent coming from?" I asked.

Owlpaw took another sniff of the air. She shot me a hesitant look, and I nodded at her encouragingly.

"This way?" Owlpaw meowed, taking a few uncertain steps in the direction of the scent.

"Yes, good job," I said.

A rush of confidence lit up her eyes, and Owlpaw started padding towards the scent at a faster pace.

"Quiet steps," I reminded her in a soft voice as the vole scent grew stronger.

Owlpaw immediately hushed her footfalls, sliding into the hunter's crouch and stalking forward. I crouched down too, and we crept forward side by side. I spotted the vole at the bank of the stream where the water met the trees. I saw Owlpaw's eyes widen as she spotted it too. She started to move forward, muscles tensing under her fluffy fur. I touched my tail tip to her shoulder to stop her before she got too close.

"Check the wind. You don't want your scent being brought to the prey," I whispered in her ear.

Owlpaw blinked in acknowledgement. She raised her head, letting the breeze stir her whiskers, then she changed her approach, slipping away from me in different direction. I stayed crouching in a patch of ferns as she stalked up to the vole. Once she was close enough, Owlpaw didn't hesitate a moment before pouncing. Her paws struck the vole, and she brought her head down to deliver a killing bite before it could even squeak. Owlpaw looked up at me in triumphant, the limp body of the vole dangling from her jaws.

"Fantastic," I purred, straightening and walking over to her.

Owlpaw's yellow eyes shone with delight.

"That kill was amazingly clean," I said. "Keep this up, and you'll be the best hunter in the clan in no time."

"As good as you?" Owlpaw asked in excitement, mumbling over the prey in her mouth. "Cherrytail says you're a great hunter."

I purred.

"I'm only a good hunter because your mother is, and she taught me well," I said. "So, really Cherrytail is the one to thank."

Owlpaw nodded.

"Then since you're teaching me, I'm going to be a great hunter too," she said smugly, a pleased look in her eyes.

"You still need to practice," I reminded her, but I still felt a spark of amusement at my apprentice's confidence. "Scape some dirt of the vole, and we'll try to find some more prey."

"Alright, Lightningfire!" Owlpaw chirped, trotting over to a bush to stash the vole under.

I purred as I watched her pad away to bury the prey.

 _I think I could get used to this mentoring thing._


	50. Chapter 49: The Stranger

A cool breeze blew into the warriors den. My eyes blinked open, and I yawned, feeling tiredness drag at my pelt. I sat up in my nest and stretched, enjoying the feeling of the breeze on my whiskers. I got up and padded out of the den.

It was before dawn, and the sky was still a soft grey like silver cotton. The camp was empty; everyone else was still curled up in their nests. I sat down in the center of the empty camp, and the sand felt soft under my paws. I took a deep breath. The air was still cool from the night but soon the green-leaf sun would come out and warm the world up around me.

 _What should I do today?_

Since I was already up, I could go on dawn patrol. Or, maybe I should just go hunting. I could see if Wolfshade wanted to…

 _Oh… wait. Owlpaw. Right._

I shook my head. I had completely forgotten about my new apprentice for a moment. Even though I've been a mentor for several sunrises now, and we've gotten a lot of hunting training and territory patrolling done, it still seemed a little strange to me that I couldn't head out on any patrol whenever I wanted now.

I got to my paws, turning back to face the dens in the side of the cliff. I scaled the trail up the side of the cliff to the entrance of the apprentice den. I poked my head inside. Owlpaw, Adderpaw, and Ripplepaw were curled up in a bundle very close together, their sides brushing. I looked around the den for Sootypaw, surprised that I didn't see his fluffy grey pelt.

 _He's at home with his two-legs right now, mouse-brain._

I gave a soft purr of amusement at my forgetfulness. Of course he was. He would be showing up here soon with the rest of the day-light warriors. I padded over to Owlpaw, giving her side a soft poke with my paw.

"Mmm… ah… five more heartbeats…" Owlpaw murmured, her eyes still shut.

She started to softly snore again.

"Come on, Owlpaw," I said. "The day's not getting any younger."

Owlpaw let out a groan, cracking her eyes open.

"Adderpaw and Ripplepaw are still sleeping," she protested, squinting up at me.

"Not if you keep meowing on like this," Adderpaw grumbled, curling into a tighter dark ginger ball.

"I expect you down in camp very soon," I said.

"Fine," Owlpaw said with a sigh, pulling herself into a sitting position.

I gave a pleased nod, then turned and padded back out of the den. The sun had crept a bit higher up in the sky, and more cats were now up and mingling in the middle of camp, chatting and sharing tongues. I spotted Wolfshade trying to flatten out an unruly, tangled piece of fur on his back. I bounded down the cliff and trotted over to him.

"Good morning," I meowed.

"'Morning," he said, muttering around the fur in his mouth.

I bent my head, giving my own fur a few quick swipes with my tongue until it was no longer rumpled. I raised my head again when I was satisfied with its state.

"Let me help you with that," I said to Wolfshade, leaning over to help him groom out the tangle in his pelt.

I pulled the last of the hairs apart, and sat back up once I was done. Wolfshade's eyes met mine.

"Thanks," Wolfshade meowed shyly.

"No problem," I said, my fur prickling with a slight heat, and I looked away from him, feeling butterflies flutter in my stomach.

We were saved from saying anything else when Sharpclaw raised his tail to signal for the warriors to gather around to assign patrols. I got to my paws, and Wolfshade rose next to me. We walked over to Sharpclaw.

"Alright, I want dawn patrol to be led by Sparrowpelt. Take Sagewhisker, Creekfeather and…" Sharpclaw was meowing.

I looked around the large group cats surrounding me as Sharpclaw talked.

 _Where's Owlpaw?_

"I'm here," Owlpaw gasped, dashing over to me through the crowd of warriors like my thoughts had summoned her to me.

Her fluffy white and dark ginger fur was ruffled, and bits of moss from her nest were still stuck in it. She gave a huge yawn, leaning against my side for balance as her eyelids fluttered sleepily.

"Lightningfire."

My gaze flickered to Sharpclaw when he said my name.

"Lead a hunting patrol. Take Creamclaw, Whisperheart, Wolfshade, and Owlpaw with you," Sharpclaw said.

Owlpaw's eyes immediately snapped open.

"Hunting! Yes!" Owlpaw meowed excitedly, bouncing up and down like she had already forgotten she was tired just a moment ago.

I dipped my head to Sharpclaw in acknowledgement, feeling a rush of warmth that I got to patrol with Wolfshade. As the deputy continued to give out duties, I slipped away from the crowd with Owlpaw and Wolfshade in tow. Creamclaw and Whisperheart also made their ways towards me. When everyone had gathered around, I led our group to the edge of the camp, and we headed off into the forest.

"How's your training with Owlpaw going?" Wolfshade asked, falling into step at my side as Owlpaw paced ahead, eagerly dashing from here to there, sniffing the air for prey scent the whole while.

"Good," I meowed.

"She's smart and a quick learner. When she actually listens to what I tell her," I added with a purr.

"Does she ever sit still?" Wolfshade asked, watching Owlpaw run from one bush to peer under another.

I shook my head.

"Not that I've seen. I'll let you know if she ever does because that'll really be something," I said.

Wolfshade purred in amusement. We fell into companionable silence for a few moments, a soft breeze blowing through the branches of the trees above us. I glanced over at Wolfshade out of the corner of my eye. He looked so handsome with the wind stirring his whiskers, and the sunlight turning the edges of his grey fur gold. Even the four scars on his face didn't give me pause anymore. In fact, I was starting to like how rugged they made him look.

"I'm glad we're hunting together," I said quietly. "I like hunting with you."

Wolfshade glanced over at me, and his gaze grew gentle.

"I like hunting with you too," Wolfshade said softly back.

"Lightningfire! I smell mouse!" Owlpaw meowed to me loudly from several fox-lengths ahead.

I broke eye contact with Wolfshade, turning to look at Owlpaw.

"Then be quieter so you don't scare it away, and go get it," I said.

Owlpaw eagerly turned and slipped into the undergrowth. I looked back at Wolfshade.

"I better go supervise," I said, flicking my ears towards the undergrowth that Owlpaw disappeared into.

Wolfshade nodded.

"Good luck, mentor," he said, amusement in his tone.

I was brushing through the bracken with Owlpaw reappeared, a mouse already in her jaws.

"Wow! Great job," I said with a purr.

"Thank you!" she said, her eyes bright.

I sniffed the air, but couldn't detect any more prey scent nearby.

"Let's continue a bit more into the woods," I meowed.

I led my patrol farther into the trees, heading towards our Southern border. When more scents of prey began to prick at my nose, I signaled for the patrol to disperse. We spread out to hunt. I watched Owlpaw half of the time, and caught a squirrel and a sparrow during the time I let her hunt alone. She took to hunting very naturally. She had already caught a finch and a squirrel along with her first mouse, and now she was stalking a thrush. She crept up on it, but she wasn't watching her paws and stepped on a stick. The branch cracked under her foot, and the bird took off, letting out a loud alarm call. Owlpaw sprung, but it was already too late.

Owlpaw landed back on the ground with a frustrated hiss, as the thrush escaped into the sky.

"You're a very good hunter," I meowed, padding up to her. "Your technique is flawless, but you need to pay more attention to the things around you."

"I can't believe I stepped on a stupid twig," she muttered. "I would have caught it if I hadn't."

I nudged her side with my muzzle.

"I know this is your first miss, but it's alright. Everyone messes up sometimes," I meowed.

Creamclaw, Whisperheart, and Wolfshade appeared from the undergrowth, having heard the loud alarm call from the thrush.

"We should move on," I meowed to Owlpaw. "The prey around here will be gone or hiding after hearing the thrush's alarm call."

Owlpaw nodded, getting to her paws.

"I'm going to catch the next prey we find," she promised.

"Good," I said with a purr.

I raised my tail, and the patrol set back off. Owlpaw perked back up again rather quickly as we walked through the trees. She wasn't the type of cat to stay down for long. I brushed through a patch of green ferns, the warm, comforting touch of sun on my back.

I came to a stop.

My nose twitched, and I raised my head, a strange scent rushing into my nose.

"There's unfamiliar cat scent here," I said in a quiet voice, so only my patrol could hear.

Wolfshade's ears pricked, and he turned to look at me intently. Whisperheart raised her nose to scent the air.

"I can't smell anything," she meowed.

"I can't either, but I believe Lightningfire. She's a great tracker," Wolfshade meowed in a quiet voice, still looking at me.

Distracted from the scent for a brief moment, my fur flushed with warmth at his compliment. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Creamclaw roll her eyes.

"You two are disgusting," she said jokingly. "Come on, Wolfshade. Everyone in the Clan knows that, you moonstruck mouse-brain."

My brow furrowed, thoughts pulled from the unfamiliar cat scent, though it still nagged at me in the back of my mind.

"Wait, but how do you know that?" I asked Wolfshade.

"What?" Wolfshade said, tilting his head in confusion.

"I don't remember telling you that. Did you find that out from someone else?" I asked.

"No… I must have heard it somewhere…" Wolfshade said, his brow furrowing.

I opened my mouth to reply.

"Which way is the scent coming from, Lightningfire?" Owlpaw demanded, pulling my attention back to the immediate issue at hand.

Owlpaw planted herself in front of me, looking up with sparkling yellow eyes and bristling fluffy white and ginger fur.

I glanced down at Owlpaw. I opened my mouth to reply to her, but before I could, she whirled around and dashed off into the forest.

"Owlpaw!" I said.

"This way?" she yowled over her shoulder, barreling away through the trees and towards our border.

"No, Owlpaw! Come back!" I shouted, feeling a rush of panic as another whiff of the unfamiliar cat scent drifted to me on the breeze.

I leapt forward after her.

Wolfshade, Creamclaw and Whisperheart were right on my tail, and we ran after my disobedient apprentice.

"I smell it now!" Whisperheart gasped from my side, her eyes going wide.

A squeal echoed from the forest ahead.

 _"Owlpaw!"_ I yowled, shooting ahead.

I surged through the undergrowth and was greeted by the sight of Owlpaw crouching on the ground, pelt bristling with fear, and a massive, scarred, light brown and white tabby tom standing over her, with one paw drawn back, ready to strike. I bared my teeth in a vicious snarl and leapt at the tom. His orange eyes flickered up to mine, and they went wide with surprise as I barreled right into him. We tumbled head over tail. I clawed at his sides, nipping at his neck. His body rumbled against mine with a deep, angry growl. His huge paws dug into my shoulders, clawing out fur. I felt his weight shift as he twisted to regain his balance.

 _I've got to get away before he traps me with his size and strength._

I jerked back suddenly, wiggling out of his grasp like an snake and dancing back from him to stand in front of Owlpaw.

I arched my back, fluffing all my fur out and let out a vicious hiss.

 _"Get out of our territory!"_ I spat, digging my unsheathed claws into the ground.

"You call that a fight?" the light brown and white tabby called, his orange eyes gleaming viciously. "I know kits that can do better."

His orange gaze flickered over me.

"You are only a she-cat though. And, such a pretty little thing too. I'd hate to hurt you," the tabby rogue said, curling his lip up to bare his teeth at me.

White hot anger surged through me.

"Say that again, and I'll claw your tongue out," I said with a growl.

Wolfshade, Creamclaw, and Whisperheart flanked me; the four of us making a wall in front of Owlpaw. I glared at the heavily scarred tabby. Whoever he was, he wasn't good. Almost every part of his pelt from his head to his tail was covered in scars. Both ears had tears and nicks, and he had three small scars trailing down one of his cheeks, under his right eye.

"Leave our territory now," I growled.

"Or what? You'll make me as ugly as him?" the tabby said with a nod towards Wolfshade.

I snarled, taking a threatening step forward.

"Ha," the tabby said, crouching down with a sparkling look in his orange eyes. "Come and get me, beautiful."

Wolfshade, Whisperheart, Creamclaw, and I attacked as one, surging forward like a rushing river. The rogue, to his credit, did not flinch in the face of our assault. Instead, he rose up on his hind-legs, swatting at us with his big paws. I ducked, rolling under his blow. The tabby looked surprised at my speed. In his moment of distraction, Wolfshade landed a hard blow on the rogue's side. The rogue turned to face him, and the two big cats rose up on their hind paws. The rogue was slightly larger than Wolfshade. Wolfshade snarled as the two grappled, long hooked claws slashing. I sprung at the rogue's back, but he saw my leap and turned to slash at me before I could spring onto him. I dodge back to avoid his claws with a frustrated hiss, but Whisperheart came at him from his other side, landing a couple of scratches on his shoulder. Then Creamclaw darted in from the other direction, and the rogue lunged, sinking his fangs deeply into her front leg. I sprung forward with a snarl, raking my claws over his muzzle viciously, until he dropped her. Creamclaw limped back, bright red blood dripping from her leg. Wolfshade gave the rogue a powerful cuff on the head that sent him reeling. The rogue whipped his head from side to side, trying to keep all four of us in his field of vision. He took a step back.

 _That's right. Turn tail and run._

I saw the rogue's gaze flicker around me, and his eyes narrow.

The rogue lunged, but not towards me or Wolfshade or Whisperheart or Creamclaw. Instead he sprung around all of us.

 _Owlpaw!_

"No!" I snarled, leaping at the rogue.

The rogue flashed out a huge paw, hooking his claws into Owlpaw's hind leg as she leapt away from him. He pulled his leg back to drag her closer to him, but before he could get the rest of his claws in her, I tackled him. Owlpaw quickly freed herself as the rogue and I went rolling again. We were a tumbling ball of slashing claws and flashing fangs, but this time as I felt him grip me in his paws, I let him. The rogue righted himself with surprising speed, pinning me with my back to the ground. But, before the rogue could even savor his victory, I had drawn my hind legs up against my stomach, my claws unsheathed, then sent them kicking as powerfully as I could up against his belly.

The light brown tabby jerked, letting out a hard cough, his eyes going wide. Wolfshade swatted him off of me. The rogue stumbled aside, giving a hiss and a feeble defense when Whisperheart dashed over to give his ears a few vicious slashes. He took another stumbling step backwards, and I saw he was bleeding heavily from his stomach.

"Do you yield?" I snarled, getting to my paws and walking over to him.

I was panting, short of breath, and my chest was bothering me. The old wounds from the badgers had flared up again. My back and shoulders were also covered in stinging scratches delivered by him, but despite it all, I still held my head high.

"Never," the tabby wheezed, before falling to his haunches and pressing a paw to the wounds on his white belly, trying to stem the flow of blood.

"Who are you?" I demanded, stalking up to him.

"The name's Ripper," the tabby said, baring his crimson, blood covered fangs at me.

"Where do you come from? What do you want?" I spat, standing over him with bristling fur.

I made a show of slowly sheathing my claws to demonstrate that he was no longer a threat. Ripper's eyes flashed as he noticed the movement, the gesture not escaping him.

"So many questions. It's typically polite to introduce yourself now that you know my name," Ripper said, his voice a taunting growl.

" _She said:_ what are you doing here?" Wolfshade repeated with a low hiss.

"He speaks!" Ripper sneered, his face twisting into a ugly snarl as he turned to look at Wolfshade. "I was beginning to think that those scars damaged your brain as much as your face."

A growl rumbled in my throat, and I unsheathed my claws again.

"Relax, beautiful," Ripper said with a strangled purr. "Did picking on your pet cripple upset you?"

I curled my lip back. But, Wolfshade pressed his muzzle to my shoulder to calm me. His body appeared relaxed, but I could seen the anger in his green eyes.

"What's the matter? Not used to being beaten by a she-cat?" I said down to Ripper, baring my teeth at him.

Ripper snarled back at me in reply before wincing and pressing his paw harder to his bleeding stomach.

"What do we do with him?" I meowed, turning to Wolfshade.

"He'll die if we leave him alone," Wolfshade meowed.

"Good. The buzzards can have him," Whisperheart cut in suddenly, baring her teeth at him.

I blinked in surprise at Whisperheart at her violent agreement.

"The warrior code forbids killing," Wolfshade said.

"We'll take him back as our prisoner," I growled. "He's dangerous anyways. We shouldn't just leave him here alone."

Wolfshade nodded in agreement. Although Whisperheart didn't look exactly pleased, she didn't protest either.

Wolfshade walked over to Ripper.

"Get up," he growled to him, prodding his shoulder with a paw.

I looked at Creamclaw.

"How's your leg?" I asked.

"I'm fine," she said, but she held her foreleg up, not putting any weight on it, and it still dripped blood.

I shot her a skeptical look, and Creamclaw let out an impatient sigh.

"Don't worry, Lightningfire, I'll make it back to camp," she said.

I gave a nod and turned, padding over to Owlpaw, who was standing a bit of a ways away, keeping a good amount of distance between herself and Ripper.

"Are you okay?" I asked, looking down at my rumpled apprentice.

She nodded.

"My leg hurts, but not too bad. I can still use it," she said.

"Good because you're going to be using it to haul moss for the next several moons," I snapped, my eyes flashing.

"What!" Owlpaw meowed, her eyes widening in protest.

"Running off like that was a really mouse-brained thing to do!" I said angrily. "Not only did you put yourself in danger, but you put the rest of your patrol in danger too by charging into an unknown situation! You saw this cat."

I gestured towards Ripper with my tail.

"You just saw what he can do. And, you're young and inexperienced and have no battle training. He would have _killed_ you without another thought if we were two heartbeats too slow."

"I'm sorry," Owlpaw muttered, scuffling her paws and looking down at the ground.

"You better be," I growled. "Imagine if I had to tell your mother that you died, or Sharpclaw, or your brothers. Imagine how heartbroken they'd be."

"I didn't mean it. I wasn't thinking," Owlpaw said, still not looking up at me.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Yeah. That's the problem. Try doing a bit more of thinking next time," I said.

Owlpaw continued to stare down at the ground. I looked at the young cat. I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a couple of slow, deep breaths before opening them again.

"I'm sorry I yelled," I said quietly. "I didn't mean it. I was just worried about you. I'm glad you're safe."

I bent my head, nosing Owlpaw's downy-soft shoulder with my muzzle. I breathed in the young cat's flowery scent.

"I promise I'll do better next time, Lightningfire," Owlpaw said, finally looking up at me with her big yellow eyes.

"I know you will," I said, giving her a brisk lick on her head.

I turned back towards the rogue and the rest of our patrol.

Wolfshade and Whisperheart had managed to get Ripper to his paws, and now they flanked him, although he still looked a bit unsteady on his feet.

"Let's get back to camp," I growled, raising my tail and taking the lead.

****** _Author's Note: Hey guys! I saw there was some confusion when I posted my last chapter over who Owlpaw or some other characters are/what they look like. So, I've updated the allegiances on my profile page, so it is now current with the story! You can click on over there to see all their descriptions. I know there are a lot of characters, so hopefully that clears up any confusion over who's who. And, speaking of new characters… What do you think of Ripper? He's a very fun character to write, and I've been been feeling very impatient to introduce him to you. So, I'm excited that he's finally here!_

 _Also, as always, thank you all for reading and for your reviews. And, thank you with your patience with me! Also, I know this chapter is coming out pretty quickly after the last one that I posted, but that's because I already had most of it written a while ago (because I was excited about Ripper's introduction.) But, the next chapter unfortunately isn't close to done right now. And, school work/life is really busy for me at the moment, so the next update probably won't be for another week or two. But, even when updates are slow, I promise I'm still writing :)******_


	51. Chapter 50: Prisoner

We padded through the trees in silence. I thought about sending Owlpaw to run and pick up the prey that we caught, but I decided against it, fearing that there may be more rogues like Ripper lurking around in the forest. I sniffed the air suspiciously, searching for more unfamiliar cat scent, but I could scent nothing but the forest.

"Lightningfire," I heard my named murmured softly from behind me.

I turned my head, and Whisperheart slipped next to my side. I quickly checked on Ripper, but Wolfshade was doing just fine managing him without Whisperheart. The rogue's orange eyes were half-lidded and blood still dripped from his white belly fur. He looked like he could barely keep himself upright on his paws, let alone attack again or try to run away.

"What is it, Whisperheart?" I asked her.

"I know him," Whisperheart said, her voice so hushed I could barely understand her.

 _"What?"_ I hissed, dropping my voice so no one else in the patrol could over-hear us.

"He's from the same big two-leg place that Iceshiver, Tatteredtail, and I are," Whisperheart said.

I felt a rush of hot anger through my pelt.

 _Whisperheart promised that there was no way these cats would ever find SkyClan, but there's one right here. And, he attacked us!_

"Does _he_ know you?" I asked, an edge of annoyance creeping into my voice.

"No. He didn't seem to recognize me," Whisperheart whispered. "It's not too surprising either. He's a lieutenant, a very high ranking cat. He wouldn't have even bothered to look my way unless I did something wrong or the Queen wanted something from me. And, I doubt he'll know Tatteredtail or Iceshiver, or that they'll know him. Tatteredtail and Iceshiver were very low ranking, living on the fringes. The only reason why I recognize Ripper at all is because I lived in the Park when I was kit since my mother was high-ranking."

I stared out into the forest ahead of us, my brow furrowed as we continued to walk.

"So, Ripper's very dangerous then? Because he's a lieutenant?" I asked.

Whisperheart nodded. I flattened my ears.

"I'm sorry, Lightningfire," Whisperheart said, seeing my upset look. "I didn't think that it was possible that any cat from that place would travel so far upstream."

"What do we do?" I asked. "Do you think he's alone? What could he possibly want from us?"

"I don't know," Whisperheart replied. "While I lived there the Queen was comfortable with her territory. I don't know why she would send out a scout to travel so far from the two-leg place. Maybe he is traveling alone."

 _Can we get any information out of Ripper?_ I wondered.

"Do we tell Leafstar that we know where he's from?" I asked quietly.

Whisperheart was silent.

 _Confessing the truth about Whisperheart's, Tatteredtail's, and Iceshiver's birth-place would be detrimental to them. Leafstar would be furious at them and at me for keeping a secret from her that could possible put our clan in danger for moons. It could even end in their exile._

I swallowed.

 _Could I do that to them? In order to protect my clan-mates?_

I looked at Whisperheart out of the corner of my eye. The dark red she-cat looked back at me with sad eyes.

 _But, Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver… they_ are _my clan-mates too. Which means I also have a duty to protect them._

"I don't think there's a point in saying anything now," I meowed.

Relief flooded Whisperheart's eyes.

"Thank you," she muttered.

I nodded.

As we drew closer to camp, I noticed Ripper's pace slowed even more. His tail dragged through the dirt as he limped along, but his orange gaze was still clear and calculating, and it flickered from side-to-side, taking in the unfamiliar territory around him.

We had almost made it out of the forest when my ears pricked as the bushes rustled ahead.

"I smell blood," Patchfoot meowed, shoving through the bracken with a border patrol consisting of Macgyver, Nettlesplash, Minttail, and Briarspot at his back.

Patchfoot's gaze swept over my patrol's scratched pelts and bloodied fur before his gaze came to a rest on Ripper.

"What happened?" Briarspot asked.

"We captured a rogue, and we're taking him to camp," I meowed.

Patchfoot opened his mouth, and for a moment I thought the senior warrior was going to challenge me about my decision to bring Ripper to camp. I raised my chin, meeting his gaze without hesitation. Patchfoot's brow furrowed and he seemed to decide against saying something, instead he just began to turn back in the direction of camp.

"We'll help you escort him back to camp," Patchfoot meowed over his shoulder.

"No," I meowed.

Patchfoot's eyes narrowed as he looked at me.

"We don't need help. He is in no state to fight," I meowed, flicking my tail to indicate Ripper. "But, he may not have been alone. Take your border patrol out like you were planning and stay alert. Do an especially careful sweep of the Southern border, that's where we found him."

Patchfoot stared at me for a moment, and I stared back. I felt slightly uncomfortable with telling a senior warrior what to do, but I didn't break eye contact.

 _I know sending his patrol out would be the smarter thing._

"Very well," Patchfoot said finally with a curt nod.

He raised his tail, and his patrol followed him as he bounded away into the trees. I sighed, feeling tension that I didn't even know was there drain out of my shoulders as the possible confrontation with Patchfoot ended.

"You just like to tell everyone what to do, don't you beautiful?" Ripper meowed from behind me, making me glance back at him.

"Shut up," Creamclaw hissed at the rogue, her grey eyes flashing like a stormy sky.

I turned back around, ignoring him and leading our patrol forward again.

"Don't worry," I heard Ripper continue to meow to me from behind. "I like bossy she-cats— OW!"

I looked over my shoulder to see Ripper wincing in pain, and Wolfshade snarling and still holding his paw up like he was thinking about cuffing him again.

"Wolfshade, I think he's already injured enough," I said, but I kept my voice mild, my pelt secretly warmed by the fact that Wolfshade was defending me from Ripper.

"Clear not enough if he still has the energy to talk about you like that," Wolfshade said in his deep voice, curling his lip down at the crouching and panting rogue.

Ripper snarled up at him in response, but didn't say anything as we continued walking again, clearly not wanting Wolfshade to hit him another time.

The trees fell away as we padded through the sandy gorge, making our way into camp. As we approached, we attracted stares and attention immediately as our clan-mates noticed the scent of blood and an unfamiliar cat. I strode up to Petalnose, the nearest cat to us.

"We captured a rogue who was intruding on our territory," I meowed to her. "Where is Leafstar?"

"Up in her den," Petalnose meowed, looking over at all the marks on our pelts. "Oh StarClan! Are you all alright?"

"No serious injuries, thank StarClan," I meowed, while flicking my tail at Owlpaw to get her attention.

"Go fetch Leafstar," I meowed to her.

She gave a nod, then whirled away, dashing towards the dens in the cliff. I noticed Ripper looking around camp with wide eyes, taking in everything from the pile of fresh-kill, to the tall cliff face that was studded with caves and dens.

"Creamclaw," I said, turning to the fluffy grey-and-cream she-cat. "You should go see Echosong. She needs to take a look at your leg."

Creamclaw nodded and started to limp away, towards the medicine cat's den.

"Creamclaw!" I heard Nightstorm yowl, dashing over to her from across the camp.

He pressed himself to her side.

"What happened? Are you alright?" he meowed.

Creamclaw nodded, leaning against his shoulder for balance while she kept her hurt leg tucked tightly against her chest.

"Yeah," Creamclaw meowed. "We were attacked by a rogue while on patrol."

Creamclaw nodded towards Ripper, and Nightstorm turned to look at him, his green eyes narrowing with rage.

"You mangy flea-pelt," Nightstorm snarled, unsheathing his long hooked claws and striding over to the rogue. "I'll tear your insides out and feed them to the crows."

Ripper curled his lip back, raising his head defiantly as Nightstorm prepared to spring at him.

"Stop," I said firmly, putting myself in front of my brother. "You don't need to attack him. He's already barely staying on his feet."

Nightstorm blinked, seeming to notice Ripper's blood soaked belly for the first time.

"Good," Nightstorm snarled, the bristling fur on his back flattening.

"You're going to let that she-cat stop you so easily?" Ripper jeered from behind me. "Come on. Face me like a tom!"

Nightstorm's green eyes flared, but I whirled on Ripper before he could reply.

"You better put a mouse in it before this _she-cat_ decides to rip out your tongue to go along with your stomach," I spat, gesturing towards his injuries with my tail.

Ripper gave a rough purr, making me blink in surprise.

"You've got fire in you, beautiful, I'll give you that," Ripper said.

I stared at the rogue in bewilderment. He was so unsteady on his paws from blood loss that it looked like the gentlest breeze could knock him over, yet here he was, still acting like he had the whole world at his paws.

"I'm serious," I growled. "Say one more thing, and I'll tear out your tongue, then I'll let Nightstorm claw you up too."

Ripper opened his mouth like he was going to say something else anyway, but before he could, Owlpaw was back with Leafstar, Brackenstorm, and Sharpclaw.

"This is the rogue?" Leafstar asked, padding over to my patrol.

She gazed at Ripper with cold blue eyes, her head and tail held high. Ripper straightened and met her gaze evenly.

"Yes," I meowed. "His name is Ripper. He attacked our patrol."

"Owlpaw told me," Leafstar said.

"He's very dangerous, so I didn't just want to leave him at the border," I meowed. "He would have killed Owlpaw if we had not gotten there in time."

"Owlpaw doesn't look too injured," Brackenstorm pointed out mildly. "Do we know that for sure?"

"Nah, I would have killed her," Ripper said with a hiss.

Sharpclaw gave a deep, menacing growl.

"You did the right thing bringing him here, Lightningfire," Leafstar said, her gaze flickering to me for a moment.

"What do we do with him then?" Sharpclaw asked.

Our clan-mates, driven by curiosity, had started to gather around. Leafstar turned, bounding up Rockpile.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather under Rockpile for a Clan meeting!" Leafstar meowed.

Almost everyone was already in camp, but a few more cats appeared from the dens and came running over. I looked around the camp. Everyone was here besides Patchfoot's patrol, and Ravenfur and Ripplepaw, who I assume must be out training. Ripper was escorted forward by Brackenstorm and Sharpclaw to the base of Rockpile. They flanked the rogue, guarding him, but when Ripper collapsed rather than sat onto the sandy ground, it seemed like to me that he needed very little guarding.

"This cat's name is Ripper, and he was captured today after attacking a hunting patrol," Leafstar meowed.

A murmur rose up around me as cats whispered and speculated about the skirmish. I glanced over at Wolfshade who was sitting a little ways away from me, and I saw Egg was leaning over to him, asking about the fight.

Echosong had been cleaning and bandaging Creamclaw's leg, but once she was done with that, she grabbed some herbs and cobwebs and strode over to Ripper. Ripper glared at her, but Echosong told him something that managed to convince him to let her take a look at his wounds. She put some herbs on and quickly bandaged them up. Leafstar bounded down from Rockpile once Echosong finished, a hush settled back over my clan-mates.

"Why were you in SkyClan territory?" Leafstar asked Ripper.

Ripper's gaze flickered around the clan, seeming unfazed by the eyes of all the cats on him.

"Were you stealing prey?" Leafstar prompted, and Ripper's gaze flickered back to her.

"I was just passing through," Ripper meowed.

"If you were just passing through why did you attack our patrol, unprovoked?" Leafstar asked.

Ripper shrugged.

"They told me to leave, and I didn't want to," Ripper said. "I only do what I want to do."

Leafstar narrowed her eyes at him.

"Would you have killed my clan-mates if you could have?" she asked.

"If I feel like it, I'll kill anything that gets in my way," Ripper said, his voice a growl.

My stomach flipped at the coldness in his voice.

 _Holy StarClan, this cat is a monster._

My clan-mates began to murmur again, a bit louder this time. I saw pelts bristling and claws unsheathing. Leafstar stared at Ripper, her eyes icy. Leafstar turned to look at the Clan.

"Ripper will be kept here as our prisoner under constant guard until his wounds have healed some. At that time, I will reevaluate what we should do with him," she said.

Leafstar nodded, indicating that the meeting was over. Cats dispersed or grouped together, still whispering about Ripper. I got to my paws and padded over to Leafstar.

"He will be kept in that small cave over there at the base of the cliff," Leafstar was saying to Sharpclaw, nodding at the cliff to indicate a small crack in the face, a bit of the ways away from the other dens, but not too far.

"I can take the first guard duty if you want," I meowed.

Leafstar glanced over at me.

"Thank you, Lightningfire," she said.

Her gaze swept over me.

"Are you sure though? I can have someone else do it if you need Echosong to take a look at your wounds first," she said.

"They're shallow," I said. "Only scratches."

Leafstar nodded.

"Alright then," she said. "I'm proud of you Lightningfire. You did a good job today."

I dipped my head, my pelt warming.

"Thank you, Mom," I said.

I padded away, heading towards Ripper. I stood over the scarred light brown and white tom. He was lying on the ground at the base of Rockpile, his orange eyes dull with exhaustion. I stared down at him, flattening my ears.

"Why are we keeping him prisoner?" Nightstorm said, pulling me out of my thoughts as he walked over and shot Ripper a look with a snarl.

"Because our mother said so," I meowed, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. "And, she's Clan leader."

"You know that's not what I meant," Nightstorm said with a soft growl.

"What would you prefer to do?" I pointed out. "Exile him?"

"No!" Nightstorm meowed, his eyes widening. "He's dangerous! He could come back that way!"

"Then what other choice do we have?" I asked.

Nightstorm was silent, a broody look on his face. I could see how conflicted he was. Ripper injured Creamclaw, and Nightstorm cared deeply for her. And, now here Ripper was, being kept in camp among us, along with all of Nightstorm's friends and family.

"You could kill me," Ripper meowed from below us.

I looked down at him in surprise. Ripper blinked his orange eyes up at me. The rogue seemed oddly calm for just having suggested his own death

"… That's not our way," Nightstorm meowed finally, his voice a deep rumble.

Then with a twitch of his tail, Nightstorm whirled around and padded off. I turned to Ripper.

"Follow me," I said to him. "I'll take you to your den. You will stay there until Leafstar decides what else to do with you."

Ripper slowly rose to his paws. He followed me with stiff steps, wincing as his wounds were stretched. I led him across camp, my clan-mates parting around him like he was diseased, and we walked to a small cave in the cliff. It had a very narrow entrance, and inside it opened up with just enough room to maybe fit four cats, if they squeezed. The cave was too small to function as a den for our Clan, but it would make a good place to keep Ripper. And, the narrow entrance would make it difficult for him to get out easily. I nodded at the cave. Ripper shot me a look, but he obeyed, padding into the cave. He squeezed through the small entrance, his broad shoulders scraping the walls on either side. Once he was inside, he turned around, blinking his orange eyes at me from the shadows.

"Your mother is your leader?" Ripper asked.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Yeah. So what?" I said.

"Nothing… Princess," Ripper said with a harsh purr, slowly settling down in the cave.

 _"Princess?"_ I echoed in confusion, wrinkling my face at him.

Ripper let out a huge, exaggerated sigh, a look of annoyance flashing over his face.

"You stupid forest cats don't know anything, do you?" Ripper said.

"Hey, watch it or I'll claw the rest of your belly out," I said threateningly.

"Whatever you say, Princess," Ripper said, curling his lip up, so his fangs gleamed in the dim light of the cave.

My tail tip twitched as he said the unfamiliar word again.

 _I wish I knew if he was insulting me._

"You do realize that my name is Lightningfire, right?" I said.

Ripper shrugged.

"I think I'll stick with Princess," he said.

I gave a soft growl, prompting Ripper to curl his lip back at me again.

"Or, do you prefer _beautiful?_ " he asked in a sickly sweet voice.

I flattened my ears, glaring at him, but I decided it would be better to ignore him than reply. Ripper blinked his wide eyes at me again. They were a vibrant orange color, so bright it was almost harsh. I stared at him in silence. His eyes fluttered, eyelids drooping and obscuring the orange for a moment. Then they snapped back open, and I was greeted by the full force of his orange gaze again like I was standing in the light of a scorching sun. But, soon enough, his eyelids were falling back down. Ripper lowered his broad head to rest his chin on his paws and in a moment, he was asleep. I stared at the sleeping tom, a feeling of dread settling over me.

 _Ripper isn't a cat. He's a snake._

And, who knows when he'll strike.


	52. Chapter 51: Threats and Promises

I trotted back into camp after finishing some moss gathering with Owlpaw. She limped into camp behind me, laden with moss on her back and in her jaws. Her steps were slow since her paws were aching from all the swipes I had been having her do to collect the moss.

"Once you take that up to the elders and make them new nests, you can come down and have some fresh-kill and rest for a bit," I said.

Owlpaw nodded her head at me, unable to respond with her mouth full of moss.

"Lightningfire," Sharpclaw said in his deep meow, padding over to me. "Go relieve Shrewtooth on prisoner guard duty. And, bring the prisoner some fresh-kill."

I dipped my head to the deputy.

"Yes, Sharpclaw," I meowed.

Sharpclaw bent his head to nose Owlpaw.

"You better get that moss up to the elders before you tip over from its weight," Sharpclaw said to Owlpaw in a softer voice.

Owlpaw gazed up at her father with sparkling yellow eyes, giving a purr and bouncing away.

"She's not giving you any trouble is she?" Sharpclaw asked before I could walk away.

My thoughts flashed back to how she had disobeyed me and run off, straight into Ripper only a few sunrises ago. But, since then Owlpaw's been an especially good listener, putting extra effort into even the most menial of tasks.

"Nothing I can't handle," I assured.

I left Sharpclaw with a tail wave, heading over to the fresh-kill pile, where I grabbed a mouse for Ripper. I walked over to the cliff, padding over to the crack in the cliff where I could see Shrewtooth sitting outside.

"I'm here to take over guard duty," I said to Shrewtooth around the mouse in my jaws.

"Good," the black tom said with a growl, getting to his paws. "He's all yours."

"Aw come on, I thought we were becoming friends!" I heard Ripper call from inside the small den.

I saw Shrewtooth's tail lash as he stalked away.

I padded over to the entrance of the cave, sticking my head in the crack.

"Princess!" Ripper said with delight, his orange eyes gleaming in the dim light. "I'm so glad it's you, beautiful, I was getting tired of looking at the skinny back of that mangy fur-ball."

I dropped the mouse, ignoring him.

"This is for you," I said.

I backed away, settling down to face the cave so I could watch him. Ripper rose to his paws stiffly, obviously still very bothered by his wounds from a few sunrises ago, and he stepped forward, eagerly snatching the mouse. He began to devour it, hunched over the prey. I watched him in silence as he ate. Ripper slowed as he polished of the final bit of the prey. Then, he looked up at me suddenly.

"Why are you so kind to me?" Ripper demanded.

I blinked at him in surprise.

"Um, no offense," I said. "But what are you talking about? You're our prisoner."

"But, you're feeding me," Ripper meowed, jabbing what remained of the mouse with his paw. "You haven't hurt me since you brought me here. You're _talking_ to me."

I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"I only talk to you because you'd jabber on like a mockingbird regardless of whether I respond or not," I pointed out. "And, besides, I don't think feeding you and keeping you alive really qualify as 'kind.'"

It was Ripper's turn to snort.

"If you think that, then you definitely don't want to see my 'mean,'" Ripper said, shooting me a dangerous look out of slightly narrowed eyes and curling his lip up.

"I think I could take it," I said, the fur on my back bristling. "I'm the one that left you bleeding out, remember?"

"And, let _me_ remind you that you had me out-numbered five to one, beautiful," Ripper argued, snarling slightly. "If my friends were here, we would have eaten you for breakfast."

I stiffened at the mention of his "friends."

I got to my paws and padded closer to him.

"Don't think you can fool me," I said in a low voice. "You may not have said anything to my clan-mates, but I know where you're from. And, I know what sort of cats your 'friends' are."

"What are you talking about?" Ripper said, narrowing his eyes at me.

I dropped my voice even quieter.

"You're from downstream, about a day's journey from here. There's a big two-leg place. A city. With a Park and lots of cats. Lawless rogue cats, just like you," I said.

Ripper flattened his ears.

"How do you know all that?" Ripper hissed.

"Why would I tell you?" I said, reclining away to savor the power I had over him.

Ripper glared at me with smoldering eyes, strangely silent.

"Do your clan-mates know? Are you going to tell them?" he asked after a few heartbeats.

I had no intention of telling my clan-mates. It would only get me, Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver into trouble. And, there was no way SkyClan would ever travel into that two-leg place, and so we would never be any sort of threat to the cats that lived there… But, _Ripper_ didn't have to know that.

 _Now I just have to make him believe that I could tell the Clan._

I tilted my head.

"I don't see any reason to…" I said, glancing down at my paws to flex my claws briefly.

I looked back up at Ripper.

"… As long as you're a good prisoner," I meowed.

Ripper narrowed his eyes at me.

"Are you threatening me, Princess?" Ripper asked with a quiet growl.

"I don't make threats," I said, staring into his fiery orange eyes. "I make promises."

"Ha," Ripper said, making a noise that was half way between and hiss and a purr. "…You're quite something, aren't you beautiful?"

I didn't say anything in response to that, instead I just continued to glare at him.

"It seems like we've come to an impasse then," Ripper said, studying me with his sharp gaze. "So, what is it that you want from me in exchange for your silence?"

"Information," I meowed curtly.

Ripper angled an ear towards me, a wary look on his face.

"Why are you here?" I asked, leaning forward to stare intently at him.

"You tore my belly out and took me prisoner, as you so often love to remind me," Ripper said jeeringly.

"You know that's not what I meant," I snapped. "Why were you in SkyClan territory in the first place?"

"I didn't know it was SkyClan territory," Ripper said, snarling.

I blinked in surprise.

"Wait… you didn't?" I asked.

"Of course not," Ripper snorted. "If I did know, I would have stayed as far away as I could. You're all a bunch of weirdos. Talking about codes and cats in the stars all the time."

"Then _why are you here?"_ I demanded.

Ripper narrowed his eyes at me.

"… Around nine moons or so ago four cats vanished from the ranks of our group," Ripper meowed slowly.

 _Four cats._

My blood ran cold as a mental image of Whisperheart, Crash, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver came into my mind.

"They were nobodies, so low ranking that I didn't even know their faces," Ripper continued. "On the night of the new moon, when it was time for them to bring their tax of fresh-kill to the Queen, they didn't show up. So, the Queen sent a patrol of lieutenants to search the city for them to collect the tax. When they weren't found, I figured they had just died, and their bodies had been taken by two-legs or dogs. But, they didn't die— they left. One came back a few moons after they had left to try to get more cats to leave with him. News traveled to the lieutenants about him being back, so I tracked him down and killed him a ways upstream for abandoning our group."

My eyes widened slightly, and I felt sick as I remembered that mangled black-and-white body my patrol and I found in the river, a bit South of our territory.

 _Oh StarClan… Crash… Ripper killed him?!_

"But, still word got around about how these four cats left successfully," Ripper said, with a snarl, bitterness in his voice. "And, more and more members of our group have been disappearing as the moons have passed, following their example. We were losing cats so fast our society was falling apart, until we really started to crack down on the traitors. I'm here because my Queen sent me to search for defectors, hunt them down and bring them to justice."

"Don't you think there must be something wrong with your ' _society'_ if cats are so eager to leave it?" I asked with a snarl.

Ripper shrugged.

"Our lives are hard, but that's the way it's supposed to be," Ripper said. "The strong rise and survive."

"What about the others? The 'nobodies?'" I demanded, the fur on my back bristling at his insolent tone. "Aren't they cats too? Don't they deserve the same treatment that is lavished on the Queen, and you, her precious lieutenants? Can you blame them for wanting to escape such misery?"

Ripper leapt to his paws suddenly, and I jumped up too, startled by the sudden movement. I unsheathed my claws, but he made no move to attack.

"They are _weak_ ," Ripper spat, glaring at me with orange eyes that smoldered like embers. "She is the Queen, and we are her lieutenants _because we are strong._ If they had our strength, they could be us and take the so-called 'lavish' treatment that you claim we have. But, they can't, so they don't."

"But, that's not fair," I said, lashing my tail with a growl.

 _"Life's not fair, Princess,"_ Ripper said, sneering down at me. "Do you think the mice think it's fair when we eat them? But, we do because we have to, or we die."

I flattened my ears at him.

"What's fair and what's right and what's wrong doesn't matter," Ripper continued in his deep voice. "All that matters is surviving."

"There's more to life than surviving," I growled, arguing back.

"Then enlighten me." Ripper said, cocking his head at me and leaning back. "What else is there?"

"Family. Friends. A warm green-leaf breeze. A good run. A beautiful sunset," I said.

I paused for a moment, an image of Wolfshade's face and gentle green eyes flashing into my mind.

"…Happiness," I said.

 _"Happiness?"_ Ripper repeated with a snort, eyeing me out of narrowed eyes.

He gazed at me for a long moment before giving his head a slow shake.

"You are so naive, my beautiful Princess," Ripper meowed.

"What?" I snapped, my fur bristling again as I felt a rush of anger at his condensing tone. "Are you telling me that you've never been happy? That nothing makes you happy?"

"What makes me happy is being strong," Ripper said with a menacing growl. "And, taking what I want."

"If that's all that makes you happy, then I pity your sad existence," I said with a snarl.

I started to turn, fed up with having to look at him.

"Speaking of happiness, what's the deal with you and Scar-face? I've seen how you look at him," Ripper said.

A surge of hot anger scorched through me at the rude name.

"Hey, if anyone should be called scar-face, it's you," I spat, whirling back towards Ripper. "You've got more scars than I've ever seen on any cat."

"But, mine are trophies," Ripper said, puffing out his chest. "A collection that shows how many fights I've been in and survived. They're reminders. I don't leave a fight until making sure I've gotten a new scar."

Ripper reared back, exposing his white underbelly and the new wounds that I left on his stomach. They were very obvious— still a bright red color, plastered with herbs and cobwebs, and they peeked out clearly through his white belly-fur. I flattened my ears at Ripper as he dropped back down onto all four paws. His orange eyes gleamed as he looked at me, and for a moment I wondered if he only brought up Wolfshade to stop me from turning around.

"See? Now I'll never forget you, Princess," Ripper said with a deep, rumbling purr.

I clenched my jaw.

"That's the most mouse-brained thing I've ever heard," I said.

Ripper shrugged.

"Whatever. You didn't answer my question though," he said in an insisting voice.

I rolled my eyes.

" _Wolfshade_ is my friend," I said.

"Uh-huh," Ripper said, an entirely unimpressed expression on his face.

"He is!" I protested, the fur on my shoulders rising with irritation.

Ripper pricked one ear towards me.

"I don't even know why I'm talking to you about this," I said with a growl. "You're just trying to get a rise out of me."

"You're not telling me the whole story," Ripper said. "I can tell."

"Put a mouse in it, Ripper," I growled, turning and sitting so my back was firmly to him.

"Aw don't be like that," Ripper whined from behind me.

I didn't turn around.

"Are you and Wolf-face or whatever mates? Did you have a falling out?" he asked.

I silently stared out into camp. I heard shuffling from behind me like Ripper was pacing around in the small cave.

"You're ignoring me now?" he said.

 _Yes._

But, I didn't actually respond, not even an ear twitch back towards him.


	53. Chapter 52: Changing Winds

I didn't turn back to look at Ripper at all, and I think eventually Ripper fell asleep because he grew quiet and stayed that way. The day trickled past, and the sun was setting by the time Sparrowpelt came padding over to me.

"It's my turn to guard Ripper now," Sparrowpelt meowed.

"Thanks," I said, getting up and stretching.

I yawned, blinking hard a few times.

"You look tired," Sparrowpelt commented.

"He grates on you," I said, inclining my head to indicate Ripper.

"What are you talking about. You should be honored. My company's charming," Ripper muttered sleepily from his nest inside his cave, cracking an orange eye open to look at me.

"Well you can get some rest now," Sparrowpelt meowed.

I nodded in thanks, starting to turn away.

"Wait," I said, suddenly struck by a thought, and I turned back to Sparrowpelt. "Do you know where Owlpaw is? What's she been doing this whole time? I haven't seen her since I sent her to get lunch after we went moss gathering this morning."

I felt a flash of guilt that I had neglected supervising the training of my apprentice today.

 _I'm such a bad mentor._

"Oh," Sparrowpelt said, tilting his head at me. "She went on a hunting patrol in the afternoon with Egg and Adderpaw. I think Wolfshade took her out. I assumed you knew and told Wolfshade to take her."

My eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh…" I said, blinking hard a couple of times.

"I saw their patrol come back not too long ago," Sparrowpelt added. "I think Owlpaw probably is up in the apprentice's den right now."

"Okay, thanks," I said.

I turned and bounded away.

"Goodnight, Princess! See you later!" I heard Ripper faintly call from behind me.

I rolled my eyes, giving an exasperated sigh.

I padded over to the cliff, scaling the trail to the apprentice den. I walked inside. Sure enough, I spotted Owlpaw's familiar ruffled white-and-ginger pelt immediately. She had been curled up in her nest, but she lifted her head as I walked in.

"Lightningfire!" she purred.

"Hello, Owlpaw," I said, giving a quiet purr in response. "How was your hunting patrol?"

"Good," she meowed brightly. "I caught a blackbird, and squirrel, and thrush! Wolfshade said he's never seen a cat jump so high when I caught the thrush!"

Owlpaw puffed her chest out with pride. I purred.

"That's nice," I said.

I hesitated for a moment.

"And, how was hunting with Wolfshade?" I asked.

Owlpaw tilted her head at me.

"He's kind of a grump sometimes," Owlpaw meowed. "Doesn't talk a lot either."

I gave a quiet purr. Owlpaw was such a chatterbox, Wolfshade probably wasn't able to get in a word even if he tried.

"But, he seems like a good cat," Owlpaw added.

She shot me a preceptive look with her yellow eyes.

"You like him don't you?" she asked.

I blinked.

 _What's with cats today and asking me about Wolfshade?_

"It's more complicated than that, Owlpaw," I meowed with a soft sigh.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

I closed my eyes, letting moons of memories of Wolfshade wash over me. I remembered back when I was only an apprentice like Owlpaw, how I felt this quiet, subtle sort of excitement when I was assigned to the same patrol as him. How we spent days hunting together, running through the fields, wandering the woods, and how we grew closer. How the feelings swirled between us, slow and gentle, but building in strength like a warm new-leaf breeze. How I didn't realize it had even begun until I was deeply in the middle of it. How I didn't know I loved him until I lost him.

I shook my head.

"You were only a kit," I said. "You wouldn't have known the story."

"What happened?" Owlpaw demanded, sitting up in her nest, all traces of tiredness gone from her face.

"You know about the badger attack that Wolfshade and I were in that killed Bouncefire?" I said quietly.

Owlpaw nodded.

"I remember when Bouncefire's vigil happened," Owlpaw said. "Cherrytail went, but she wouldn't let me or my brothers go. She said we were too young."

"Wolfshade got the scars on his face that day, but he was injured in more ways than that," I said.

Owlpaw didn't say anything. She just stared with her wide yellow eyes.

"He hurt his head when a badger hit him," I meowed. "He lost four seasons of his memory from that injury to his head. He doesn't remember anything from that time, so he doesn't remember me from then."

"Wait… so Wolfshade…?" Owlpaw said, her brow furrowing. "You mean you were together then, but he doesn't remember it?"

I nodded, feeling the sadly familiar stone of weight in my belly from that statement.

"Oh I'm so sorry," Owlpaw said. "Was he different back then?"

"Not really," I said with a soft purr. "Still kind of a quiet grump."

Owlpaw gave a purr in response.

"I mean, he was different with me though," I added in a quiet voice.

"He still cares about you!" Owlpaw said determinedly. "I've seen how he watches you when you walk by! And, he practically jumps to be on the same patrol as you!"

I gave a soft sigh as I thought of him.

"I hope you're right, Owlpaw," I said, getting to my feet and glancing over at the entrance to the den.

"You should get some sleep," I meowed to her.

"You should spend more time with him," Owlpaw said through a yawn. "Go talk with him tonight."

My whiskers twitched with amusement.

"I'm not taking relationship advice from my apprentice!" I teased.

"You should be becau—" Owlpaw heaved another huge yawn, her eyelids fluttering. "—se I'm so wise."

I purred, bending over to touch my muzzle to her forehead affectionately.

"Get some rest," I said. "We'll do some battle training tomorrow."

"Yay!" Owlpaw meowed excitedly as I turned and padded out of the den.

I climbed the cliff higher, going up to the warrior's den. I padded into the den, blinking as my eyes adjusted to the shadows and hearing the soft murmur of my clan-mates talking to each other as they settled down to sleep. I walked over to my nest, prodding at the moss with my paw to fluff it up. My eyes drifted across the den to look at Wolfshade's nest, which was a few tail-lengths away from mine. Wolfshade was crouched in it, his paws tucked under his chest. His body was relaxed, but his eyes were open and bright like he wasn't actually feeling sleepy.

I thought back to what Owlpaw said.

 _Am I really going to do this?_

I glanced at Wolfshade again, feeling nervousness prick at my paws and butterflies flutter in my stomach.

 _Stop that. You know Wolfshade. You aren't charging into battle, you're just going to talk to him._

I forced my paws to move before I could dwell on it any longer and start over-thinking things. Wolfshade glanced over to me as I approached.

"Hey," I said, giving him a nod.

"Hey," he meowed.

I inclined my head towards the entrance of the den.

"I've been cooped up in camp almost all day guarding Ripper. I thought I might go for a walk or something. Um— you wouldn't happen to want to join me, would you?" I said, feeling my stomach churn slightly as I asked.

For only a fraction of a heartbeat, Wolfshade's green eyes seemed to flash with an emotion I couldn't quite place.

"Yeah," Wolfshade said, getting to his paws. "Sure."

"Great," I meowed, glancing away a bit shyly.

"Also, thank you for taking Owlpaw out today," I said.

"It was no problem," he replied with a shrug.

"You didn't have to though," I pointed out. "So, it was very nice of you."

Wolfshade shrugged again like he didn't really know what to say.

"I knew you were on guard duty. Didn't want her to have to stay in camp all day…" he said, his voice trailing off.

I purred softly at his obvious deflection at my praise.

"Just accept my gratitude, mouse-brain," I teased gently.

Wolfshade glanced at me. He gave a quiet purr, then looked back away.

"Alright. If you insist," he meowed softly.

Across the den from behind Wolfshade, I saw Minttail watching us. As Wolfshade and I turned to the mouth of the den, I saw her lean over to Sagewhisker and whisper something in his ear. He glanced over at us, and his light green eyes met mine for only a heartbeat before he looked away again.

I also spotted Whisperheart curling up in her nest, and I was struck by a sudden thought.

"Oh, wait a moment, Wolfshade. I just have to go tell Whisperheart something," I meowed quickly to Wolfshade, remembering my conversation with Ripper from earlier today.

Wolfshade nodded and stood at the entrance to the den as I turned and dashed over to Whisperheart.

"Whisperheart," I meowed.

The dark ginger she-cat glanced over at me.

"Hello," she said with a soft purr of greeting.

I opened my mouth to tell her about Crash's death, but I almost immediately changed my mind. My brow furrowed.

 _Knowing Ripper killed him won't change anything. Crash will still be dead. But, Whisperheart will want justice for him. She might try to do something to Ripper. Leafstar would find out, then this whole mess of where she and Iceshiver and Tatteredtail are from would come out. No. It's better for her not to know._

"I spoke with Ripper today," I said in a quiet voice so no one could overhear. "You're right. He doesn't know who you, Iceshiver, or Tatteredtail are, but he was in our territory to look for defectors from his rogue camp."

Whisperheart's eyes widened with concern.

"I just wanted to make sure you knew that," I meowed. "And, also I think you should avoid Ripper. He might not know your face, but he could know your pelt color. And, that combined with your distinctive voice might be enough to give away your identity."

Whisperheart nodded.

"Good thinking, Lightningfire," she said.

I dipped my head to her.

"I've got to go now," I said, flicking my tail to indicate how Wolfshade was waiting on me. "But, if you get assigned to guard duty for Ripper, I'll take your place."

"Thank you," Whisperheart said with a sigh, her amber eyes welling with emotion. "You've done so much for me. And, for Iceshiver and Tatteredtail, even if they don't know it."

She shook her head.

"Back in the city, I thought it impossible for cats to be this caring," she said quietly in her rasping voice.

"You three are my clan-mates," I said with a purr, feeling warmth growing in my chest. "That's what clan-mates do. We take care of each other."

I touched my tail-tip to her shoulder before turning and bounding back to Wolfshade.

"Ready?" he asked as I walked up to him.

I touched my nose to his in response, and I saw his grey-green eyes widen slightly in surprise at the action.

"Yeah, let's go," I purred, turning and running out of the den.

Wolfshade following me out at a fast pace as I dashed nimbly down the trail on the cliff and into camp. I turned and watched Wolfshade bound down the last few fox-lengths of the cliff. Despite being such a large cat, he moved fluidly and gracefully as he sprung down, muscles bunching and rippling under his long, thick grey fur.

"Catch me if you can!" I said, shooting Wolfshade a challenging look.

His sparkling green eyes met mine for a heartbeat before I whirled on my paws and took off, orange sand being kicked up behind me.

I tore through the gorge, enjoying the feeling of my legs being stretched to their full length, then bending up under me before being stretched out again with every stride. I took deep breaths of the fresh night air, the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears. I heard soft footfall, and I glanced over my shoulder to see Wolfshade running a few tail lengths behind me, his long fur slicked back from his speed. I turned my gaze back forward. We ran through the trees as the gorge turned to forest. Wolfshade would close the gap to me occasionally, but I always managed to rally a bit more speed and keep a slim lead on him. I led us through the forest, and up to the fields above the cliffs, where there was nothing but a sea of tall grass.

My paws flying as I ran through the long grass, I went to take another deep breath, but I found myself strangely short. I breathed in again and again, struggling.

 _I'm not getting enough air._

I felt panic start to swirl in my belly.

 _What's happening?_

I slowed, panting hard, a terrible feeling of tightness in my chest. I continued to slow down, sucking in another breath. The tight feeling dissipated as, finally, I felt air rush back into my chest.

"Ha! Got you," Wolfshade said, passing me as I came to a stop.

He turned to look back at me.

"Wait? What's wrong?" he asked, coming to a stop himself and studying my face, seeing the remnants of panic on it.

I pressed my paw to my chest.

"For a moment there, I got really short of breath," I meowed.

Wolfshade took a step closer to me, his brow furrowing with confusion and concern.

"I think it must be from when I cracked my ribs," I said.

"You don't think they healed right?" Wolfshade asked, his eyes wide with worry.

I shook my head.

"Maybe. I don't know," I meowed.

Wolfshade stared intently down at my chest like he was trying to see through my fur and flesh to where I was hurt. As he looked down, I felt my eyes being drawn up to his face. I studied the scars on it. While the injury in my chest could not be seen, his were extremely obvious; they always would be. Wolfshade's eyes flickered back up to mine.

"What are you looking at?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"Your face," I said. "Your scars."

Wolfshade seemed to hesitate for a moment. He turned his face away from mine slightly.

"Do they bother you?" he meowed in a voice that was surprisingly soft.

"No!" I meowed quickly, and his gaze was drawn back to mine.

"That's not what I meant at all," I said.

I hesitated for a heartbeat before reaching a paw out to gently touch the scars on his face. Wolfshade's burning green stare never left mine. He gazed deeply into my eyes, then giving a soft sigh, he let his eyes drift shut and he leaned into my touch. I closed my eyes for a heartbeat too, an ache washing over me.

I missed his touch. I longed to feel his long fur brush mine. I wanted his tail to curl over my back as I lied pressed to his side. I wanted his muzzle to brush my cheek, and I wanted to feel the rumble of his purr against my own chest, and I wanted his scent to wrap around me like a soft wave.

I wanted all of these things to be mine again.

I opened my eyes and slowly lowered my paw. Wolfshade's eyes flickered back open. They met mine, two glowing green fires, and I felt the rest of my control slip away.

 _He's so beautiful._

Impulsively, I leaned forward, pressing my cheek to his scarred one. As my brain processed what I had just done, I felt a jolt of surprise as I realized he didn't pull away. Instead, Wolfshade tucked his head into my shoulder, rubbing his cheek along mine as he did so. I scooted closer to him, pressing the side of my body to his, and feeling the warmth of his body against mine. I nuzzled my face against his, inhaling his scent deeply like I had been drowning before, but now my head had broken back through the surface. Wolfshade gave a deep sigh, and I felt the heat of his breath on my neck.

The sound of crashing undergrowth interrupted us. I felt Wolfshade shift against me as he heard it as well, and I blinked, trying to located the source of the noise.

 _"Lightningfire!"_

My ears pricked as I heard my name yowled from behind me. I lifted my head from Wolfshade's shoulder, turning to see Creamclaw bursting through the undergrowth, her chest heaving as she panted. My brow furrowed as I felt a surge of concern and anxiety prickle through my pelt, washing away the powerful warmth that I had been feeling only a heartbeat before.

"Creamclaw! What is it? What's going on?" I asked.

Creamclaw sucked in a deep breath.

"You have to come quickly," she said, her grey eyes wide with fear. "It's Echosong. She's very ill."


	54. Chapter 53: Shadows and Whispers

By the time we rushed back into camp, there was a small gathering of cats around the entrance to the medicine cat's den. Anxious buzzing rose from the crowd, and I spotted Leafstar among them. Wolfshade and I exchanged a worried look before I pushed forward, shoving my way through my clan mates and into the mouth of the den, where I could see a cat sprawled, half covered in dark shadows.

I stared down at Echosong's limp sliver tabby form, dismay rooting my paws to the ground. I nosed her shoulder, but she was unresponsive.

"How long has she been like this? What happened?" I demanded, turning to Creamclaw.

"I stepped on a thorn on the way to the dirt-place, so I went to have her take it out. She was fine, then the next moment, she had just collapsed, coughing like crazy!" Creamclaw cried, her grey eyes wide with confusion and fear. "I woke Leafstar, then went and got you because I know you learned about herbs and healing from Echosong, so I thought you might be able to help."

My gaze swept over the crowd. I saw my clan-mates looking at me. Their faces were dark with worry, but when our eyes met, I saw a tiny shimmer of hope appear in their gazes. I gulped, looking away, and I turned my gaze to Wolfshade's instead. Wolfshade hung back by the entrance to the den with Leafstar, but when our eyes met, his green gaze steadied me. It was as sturdy as an old pine, impervious to even the strongest storms and winds. I took a deep breath, feeling calmed.

I bent down to examine Echosong more closely. I noticed a bit of blood collecting in the corner of her mouth. I wedged her jaw open, searching her cheeks for sores or a bitten tongue, but I found no source for the blood. Echosong coughed suddenly and a few blood droplets flew from her throat, hacked up from her lungs.

I froze, my pelt bristling in horror at the mysterious and terrifying symptom.

Echosong stirred, her blue eyes cracking open.

"Lightningfire," she wheezed, before falling into another coughing fit.

In an instant, I was crouching down at her side, pressing myself comfortingly against her.

"Shh, Echosong. You will be alright. How long have you been coughing like this?" I asked, guilt stinging me as I remembered all those times I noticed the cough and brushed it off.

Echosong gazed up at me with sad blue eyes

"I'm dying," she whispered, her voice barely a breath.

"…What?" I said, icy horror freezing in my veins.

But, Echosong's eyes had already drifted back shut as she passed out again.

I stayed crouching next to her.

 _Echosong has no idea what's wrong with her. She thinks she's dying. What can I do if she's given up?_

 _No._

I steeled myself.

 _I refuse to think like that._

 _But, I need help._

 _…Cloudstar._

I whirled towards the watching cats, my gaze locking with Leafstar's.

"I need to go to the Whispering Cave," I said.

"What? Lightningfire, why?" Leafstar said, giving me a look of confusion.

The rest of my clan-mates looked equally bewildered from over Leafstar's shoulders.

"Please, leave us. Go back to your dens," Leafstar said, turning to them with a dismissive wave of her tail.

Slowly, the cats dispersed, casting confused glances over their shoulders. Wolfshade lingered for a moment and our eyes met. I searched his green gaze intently, trying to summon all the strength I could from them before he left. Then I gave him a single nod. Wolfshade inclined his head in response, and he slowly turned and walked away too. I glanced back at my mother.

"I've seen visions of Cloudstar before," I said to Leafstar, stepping closer to her. "I have no idea what is making Echosong so sick, but I think he might be able to help me."

I thought back to the badger attack.

"He's helped me before," I added.

"…Very well," Leafstar said with a nod.

If she was surprised to find out that I've spoken with Cloudstar, she did a good job of not showing it.

"I will stay here and watch over Echosong," Leafstar said.

I nodded.

"Send a cat to wake me if her condition worsens," I said.

I turned, running out of the den. I dashed through camp, reaching the stepping stones to cross the stream. I could barely make out the dark stones in the faint moonlight. I took a deep breath, bounding nimbly across them, forcing myself to move slowly, so I did not slip on the wet stones. I reached the narrow path on the other side, and I followed it at a brisk pace. As I reached the mouth of the cave, I slowed. The darkness inside was just as forbidding as I remembered from moons ago when I followed Echosong and Cloudstar in. I took a deep breath, summoning my courage, and I strode into the blackness.

I let my whiskers guide me through the darkness, the only sound in my ears was the rushing of the wind and the loud pounding of my heart. I blinked hard a couple of times, and my eyes widened as I spotted a faint yellow glow ahead. The glow grew brighter as the tunnel opened up into a cavern covered with glowing yellow moss. My gaze flickered around the beautiful cave as I padded into the center of the floor, the soft moss underfoot. Water dripped down from the ceiling in a few places. I gave a quiet sigh, feeling some tension drain out of me at the sound of the peaceful trickling noises. I curled up on a raised spot of the soft glowing moss.

I shut my eyes, willing myself to sleep.

 _Please Cloudstar. I need you._

I drifted into a light sleep.

My eyes flickered open, and I found myself in an unfamiliar forest. The stars shone brightly above me, and the woods around me rustled with soft prey noises. Many warm cat-scents filled the air, but there were none that I recognized.

 _I must be dreaming._

I leapt to my paws.

 _"Cloudstar?"_ I shouted as loudly as I could.

There was no response besides the echoing of my own voice through the trees.

I took off at a random direction, tearing through the green-leaf woods.

"Cloudstar! Cloudstar!" I called again and again, bursting through the undergrowth, sending prey scattering in all directions.

I came to a panting stop in a clearing when my legs trembled with tiredness and my lungs ached for air. Four lonesome oaks towered above me, encircling a jutting stone in the center of the clearing.

"This is not the time for shadows and whispers!" I snarled furiously to the empty trees around me.

Then a voice spoke from behind.

"Lightningfire, it is a pleasure to finally officially meet you. Tell me, why are you yowling about at the top of your lungs?"

I whirled around to see the familiar white and grey StarClan warrior crouched on top of the great rock. He gazed down at me, curling his tail over paws that glimmered with starlight.

"Cloudstar?" I meowed, calming, my voice hoarse from yelling and from awe.

Cloudstar dipped his head to me, confirming that it was indeed him.

I padded over to the rock, gathering my haunches under me. I sprung onto it in a single, easy bound. Cloudstar waited in silence as I settled down beside him and took a moment to appraise our surroundings.

"Where are we?" I meowed.

"A place I haven not been for a very long time," Cloudstar said with a sigh, gazing at the oaks.

I brushed his response off, deciding not to waste time searching for a less cryptic answer.

"It's Echosong," I meowed. "She's very sick—"

"I know, Lightningfire," he interrupted me gently.

I blinked.

"Well, tell me what to do. What is wrong with her? Why is she coughing blood?" I demanded, trying to keep the desperation out of my voice.

Cloudstar shook his head.

"I am sorry, young warrior, but there is nothing I can do to help you," he replied, his eyes shimmering with an ancient sadness. "StarClan sent an omen to Echosong, warning her that this was coming, but there is nothing I can do to stop it."

I froze, stunned into silence that this StarClan warrior was admitting defeat.

 _He is from_ ** _StarClan,_** _he can do anything! What does he mean he can't help me?_

"So you have no idea?" I rasped.

Cloudstar sighed.

"The sickness that sinks its claws into her is not unheard of. Through the ages there have been whisperings of a disease that roosts in the lungs, clawing and tearing them up from the inside, filling them with blood. But, it is very rare," he meowed.

"Do you know a cure?" I asked, my voice a bit demanding.

Cloudstar sighed again.

"There is rumored to be a herb…" he meowed.

"What is it?" I said, my pelt prickling with excitement.

"I can't tell you," Cloudstar said slowly, looking away from me.

My brow furrowed, and I felt anger start to smolder in my chest.

"Why not?" I said with a growl. "You _can't_ tell me, or you _won't_?"

"StarClan cannot interfere in every affair. We are not all powerful, young warrior. Cats must be allowed to live their own lives. And, die their own deaths," Cloudstar said.

"So that's it then? What you're saying is Echosong is going to die," I said flatly.

Cloudstar's tail twitched.

"Perhaps," he mused.

"What will our Clan do without a medicine cat?" I demanded.

"Echosong is not dead yet," he reminded me. "The answer you seek is already among you. You may still save her."

"Me? How will I find this cure? I'm not a medicine cat!" I said.

Cloudstar gazed at me. I narrowed my eyes, a terrible suspicion filling me.

"But, you think I should be. That's why you keep sending me visions and walking in my dreams, isn't it?" I growled.

Cloudstar didn't reply. I unsheathed my long, curled claws, feeling them scrape the stone. I was suddenly fed up with all his useless advice and visions.

"Answer me!" I demanded, lashing my tail.

"The future is fogged, even to the warriors of StarClan. We can see a great struggle coming for our Clan. I do not know which is the right path for you to follow. All I do know is that your destiny will shape that of SkyClan's," he rumbled.

I curled my lip at him, any respect I had left burned away by anger.

"I make my own destiny," I hissed, turning aside and vaulting from the rock.

I walked away.

"Beware, Lightningfire," Cloudstar meowed from behind me, his voice loud and powerful.

I hesitated, turning to look back at him. Cloudstar stood on the huge rock, head and tail raised, his blue eyes shining with light. I trembled slightly, suddenly stricken by the power of the ancient warrior.

"A terrible storm is coming," Cloudstar rumbled, his face furrowed with anguish. "And, _deafening thunder will rip through the sky_."

"What—?" I began to meow.

But, before I could even finish my question, darkness appeared at the edge of my sight and surged forward to overtake my whole vision.

The pained screams of my clan-mates filled my ears, and invisible pelts jostled me from every side. Fear gushed through me at the scent and noise of panic. I strained my gaze, but I could only make out the palest of outlines of cats.

 _"Lightning sears and scorches,"_ Cloudstar's voice whispered in my ears.

Then a intense flash of light blinded me, silencing the sounds of battle, and it was followed by the rumble of thunder and soothing darkness.

I gasped awake, eyes flying open.

I was alone again in the Whispering Cave, the yellow moss still glowing around me. I raised my head from my paws, panting heavily. My body trembled as the terrifying dream still sunk its claws deep into my mind. Then an image of Cloudstar's grey and white face flashed in my head, and I felt a surge of anger burn away the fear.

 _Useless._

I stumbled to my paws, running out of the cave. I tore down the path, bounding across the stepping stones with careless speed. I made it to the other side and ran across camp, bursting into the medicine cat's den, panting wildly.

"Lightningfire!" Leafstar meowed, turning to look at me with concern in her blue eyes.

"StarClan was no help," I hissed, stalking over to her.

I gazed down at Echosong's weak, sleeping form.

"You don't know what's wrong with her?" my mother asked quietly.

I shook my head.

"But, that doesn't mean that I'm giving up," I said in a firm voice.

"Not like Cloudstar," I added, muttering it under my breath.

I padded over the herb storage, where I started pawing through the piles of leaves, flowers, and roots. I sniffed out some horsetail.

 _To stop the bleeding._

I grabbed the fleshy stalks in my jaws and carried them back over to Echosong. Leafstar watched on in silence as I did a quick assessment of Echosong, running my paws over her body as I had seen her do to so many other warriors and myself. I brushed my paw over her stomach and chest, probing gently and carefully, but uncertain as to exactly what I was looking for.

 _Oh, mousedung. I wish I knew what I was doing._

Nothing really felt unordinary to my untrained paws. I bent over and gave Echosong's face a sniff. Besides a faint tinge of blood, I could detect no rotting, sickly scent of infection. She seemed normal.

 _No wonder she hid this so well. Besides coughing blood, it looks like nothing's wrong with her._

I touched her nose to my pad. It was dry, but hot, burning with fever. My brow furrowed with concern as I pulled my paw away. I carefully opened one of Echosong's eyes. Her pale blue gaze was glassy. I gently let her eye shut, and I got to my paws again, heading back to the herb storage to grab some feverfew. I carried it back over with me and laid it next to the horsetail.

"What did StarClan tell you?" Leafstar asked.

I glanced over my shoulder back at her. My pelt prickled as I heard the last words Cloudstar told me echoing in my ears.

 _Lightning sears and scorches._

I looked down at my paws.

 _Lightning._

 _Me._

"Um," I said, hesitating.

 _What does that mean? What have I done? What will I do? And, how much do I tell Leafstar? Everything?_

"I spoke with Cloudstar," I meowed. "He told me that StarClan's heard of the rare disease that she has, but he can't help me cure it. He said that I may be able to cure it myself though."

I paused for another heartbeat.

"He told me some other things, but I'm not sure what they meant…" I meowed, my voice trailing off.

I glanced over at my mom. I opened my jaws to say more, before shutting them again.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," Leafstar meowed.

She had a strange look in her blue eyes. Similar to the look Echosong had when I first told her that Cloudstar spoke to me during the badger attack. Like she knew more than she was telling.

"Visions with StarClan are private matters. You don't have discuss them with anyone before you are ready," she added.

I nodded, looking away and back down at the herbs at my paws.

"We'll try this for now," I meowed, changing the subject and pawing the herbs together. "I'm hoping it'll bring down her fever and stop the bleeding in her lungs."

I chewed the herbs together, just enough to make them damp and mushy, but not enough that I swallowed and absorbed their healing juices for myself. Then I dropped the leaf-mush into Echosong's mouth and coasted her into swallowing it just like I had done to Wolfshade when he was locked in his deep sleep.

"I hope this works," I muttered as I sadly watched Echosong's limp form.

Leafstar padded over to me and pressed her muzzle to my head in a comforting gesture.

"Echosong is in good paws," Leafstar meowed. "StarClan believes in you and so do I."

I glanced up at my mother, doubt swirling in my belly.

 _But, what will we do if she doesn't get better?_

I didn't say those words out loud, not wanting to have to even discuss the possibility.

"Your primary duty will be taking care of Echosong instead of performing warrior duties for the time-being," Leafstar meowed.

I noticed her words were more of a command than a request, but I nodded along anyway.

"Good," Leafstar meowed.

She got to her paws and padded out of the den, leaving me alone with the sick medicine cat and my dark thoughts.


	55. Chapter 54: The Bleeding Cough

"Go fetch me some more feverfew," I meowed to Owlpaw after touching my muzzle to Echosong's nose and feeling that it was still burning with heat.

"Ugh. Which one is that again?" Owlpaw meowed, glancing up at me from where she had been batting a piece of moss between her paws from further back in the den.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"It's a small white flower with small, soft leaves," I meowed, trying to keep impatience out of my voice. "I just had you get some for me this morning."

"If I just got some for you earlier, then why do you need more of it?" Owlpaw asked, shooting me a look.

"Because it's not working. Echosong's fever is still high," I said, my tail tip twitching.

Owlpaw got to her paws with a huge sigh.

"Medicine cat stuff is _so_ boring," she muttered. "I wish I was out in the forest instead."

Owlpaw turned and slowly plodded over to the herb storage.

I sighed softly to myself.

 _I know Owlpaw doesn't like this kind of thing. But, I can't leave Echosong, and I can't leave Owlpaw to her own devices. And, I need help taking care of Echosong too. It just makes sense for Owlpaw to chip in._

It's been a few sunrises since Echosong first got sick, and she wasn't getting any better. If anything, she was getting worse. Her fever seemed to never go down, and the frequency of her coughing had increased. She would wake occasionally, and I would try to coast her into eating and drinking, but she never had much. She just slept most of the time, continuing to cough up blood, no matter how much horsetail I gave her.

I sighed again, letting my head sag down. I've been so busy caring for Echosong that I've barely slept these past few days. The exhaustion that dragged at me on top of my worry for Echosong was not helping my patience with Owlpaw either.

"Uh the flowers aren't here," Owlpaw called from the back of the cave, her head poking into the crack of the wall where the herbs are stored.

"For StarClan's sake, Owlpaw. It's right in the front," I said, clenching my eyes shut for a moment.

"No. I mean we're out," Owlpaw said, pulling her head back out of the crack to blink her yellow eyes back at me. "I just remembered I gave the last of it to you earlier."

"What?" I said, my head snapping back up. "Why didn't you tell me then!"

"Sorry. I forgot," Owlpaw said.

"Echosong needs something for her fever! You do realize she's very sick right?" I meowed, my tail twitching.

"Well don't yell at me about it. That's not my fault!" Owlpaw said, her fur fluffing defensively.

I sighed.

"I know. I'm sorry," I meowed. "Can you just grab me some borage leaves instead?"

"Some what-leaves?" Owlpaw asked.

I shook my head.

"Never-mind," I meowed, taking a deep breath.

I got to my paws and padded over to Owlpaw and the herb storage. I pulled out some borage leaves myself.

"Why don't you go find Ravenfur and Ripplepaw?" I meowed to Owlpaw. "She's taking him battle training later today. Maybe you can tag along."

"But, I want to train with you," Owlpaw meowed, her tail tip twitching. "Not Ravenfur."

"I have to take care of Echosong," I meowed sternly, but I felt a twinge of regret that I couldn't take my apprentice out nevertheless.

Owlpaw glared up at me mutinously for a moment. I touched my nose to the top of her head.

"You know I would rather be training you," I meowed. "That's just not possible right now."

"Fine," Owlpaw said with a loud sigh.

She turned and ran out of the den. I watched her go, my tail tip twitching anxiously. I padded over to Echosong and coasted her into eating the borage leaves before poking my head out of the den. I scanned the gorge for a moment before spotting Owlpaw at the edge of the camp, pacing restlessly by a patch of ferns.

"Lightningfire," I heard my name being called.

I turned to see Wolfshade padding over to me.

"Oh good," I meowed, leaving the medicine cat's den to bound over to him for a moment.

"Can you do me a huge favor?" I asked.

Wolfshade blinked his grey-green eyes at me.

"Sure," he said.

"Can you keep an eye on Owlpaw?" I asked, gesturing towards her with my tail. "She's unhappy that I've been having to do medicine cat's duties instead of training, and I'm afraid she'll do something reckless or impulsive because she's feeling frustrated."

"Yeah. I can do that," Wolfshade said with a nod.

"Thank you," I sighed, touching my nose to his for a moment. "Ravenfur and Ripplepaw are doing some battle training later, so you and Owlpaw could meet up with them."

Wolfshade nodded again when I pulled my head back.

"How's Echosong doing?" he asked.

It felt like the weight of the whole sky rested on my shoulders when I shook my head.

"She's not responding to treatment," I said dully.

Wolfshade looked at me with sympathy.

"I'm sorry," he meowed.

 _"'Sorry'_ catches no prey," I muttered. "I need to be better."

"You're trying your hardest," Wolfshade said, tilting his head as he looked at me.

I gave a stressed sigh.

"That fact makes this failure even more painful," I replied.

Wolfshade pressed himself to me comfortingly. I leaned against his warm side, feeling stress and tension drain out of me as the heavy weight was lifted from my back, if only for a moment. I breathed in his scent deeply.

"I've got to get back to Echosong," I meowed, pulling away.

Wolfshade nodded, but his eyes stayed locked on mine.

I didn't want to have to be the one to look away. But, I did, turning and padding back into the medicine cat's den.

Echosong slept the day away while I spent most of my time watching her or pacing anxiously around the den. But, after a while, I started to feel so exhausted that I could barely keep my eyes open, even when I was standing on my paws.

 _I need to rest._

I padded over to Echosong. She was still hot with fever, and she twitched occasionally as she slept. I curled up next to her, pressing my side to hers so that any movement from her would wake me. Then I drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

I was rudely torn from my dreamless slumber by the feeling of Echosong heaving next to me and the sound of hacking. My eyes snapped open, and I sprung to my paws. The weak, dying light of sunset streamed into the medicine cat's den, falling across Echosong. The medicine cat was awake, her blue eyes wide with terror as she coughed and gasped, doubled over in her nest.

"Echosong!" I meowed, pressing myself to her.

She wheezed, trembling as she tried to suck in air, her paws flailing in panic.

"Shh. Calm down," I instructed, making my voice as soothing as possible despite the horror and panic that swirled inside me, clawing at my belly with long, hot claws.

I gave Echosong's head a few gentle licks, and to my relief, that seemed to work. Echosong's eyes seemed a little less wide and a little more focused when she looked up at me.

"Breathe. Just breathe," I said quietly, stroking her flank with my tail. "Slowly. In. Out. In. Out."

Echosong took a shaky breath. Then she bent her head as a huge coughing fit surged over her. Blood flew from her mouth, splatting all over the sandy ground in front of her nest. I stared at the blood, my fur standing on end. But, all the coughing seemed to clear Echosong's lungs. She collapsed back into her nest, her coughing subsiding, and her breathing even again. Her blue eyes glassy with exhaustion and fever, Echosong drifted back into sleep. I watched her for a moment, making sure her flank was rising and falling steadily, before I turned my gaze to look back at the spattering of blood.

The light of the sunset pouring into the cave seemed red now too, blending in with the crimson droplets in the sand and bleeding all over the floor, forming a pool around Echosong.

The fur on my shoulders rose as I stared at Echosong and the pool of blood created by the red light.

 _An omen from StarClan?_

I shook my head.

 _No!_

I unsheathed my claws, digging them into the ground.

 _I am not a medicine cat! I do not see omens, and Echosong is going to be fine!_

I gave my head another sharp shake.

"Lightningfire!" I heard my name being called in panic.

 _Oh, StarClan, what now?_

I turned, poking my head out of the den to see Wrenkit and Rosekit stumbling over to me. Wrenkit was in the lead, and his tail was over Rosekit's shoulders; he seemed to be guiding her. Rosekit's eyes were barely open, and as I studied her, I realized her face was covered in stinging nettles. Rosekit was mewing faint cries as they stumbled over.

"Stay there!" I meowed.

It would do my little siblings, especially my injured sister no good to see the blood covered floor of the medicine cat's den.

I whirled around, dashing into the den. I ran over to the herb storage.

 _What eases stings?_

I spotted some blackberry leaves.

 _That's used for bee stings, I think._

 _Close enough._

I grabbed them and carried the leaves back outside to my siblings. Rosekit was still whimpering in pain, while Wrenkit hovered anxiously nearby.

"They're in my eyes!" Rosekit cried.

"How did this happen?" I asked, hooking the nettle leaves with my claws and pulling them out of Rosekit's long fur.

The nettles stung my paws, but I ignored the pain, knowing that Rosekit was hurting more.

"We were wrestling by a nettle patch, and I accidentally knocked her in," Wrenkit meowed, looking guilty.

"It hurts!" Rosekit whined, wiggling.

"It'll hurt more if I can't get them off so sit still!" I scolded.

"Don't tell Mom!" Wrenkit said.

I pulled the last couple of leaves off. Water streamed from Rosekit's eyes and her cheeks were swollen from the repeated stings of the nettles. I chewed up the blackberry leaves, the bitter taste nipping at my tongue, then I spat them back out, pressing the poultice to Rosekit's face.

She let out a sigh as the juice of the leaves soothed her face.

"My eyes still hurt," she meowed, squinting up at me.

My mind whirled as I tried to remember what herbs were used to soothe eyes.

 _Celandine_

"I'll be right back," I meowed, turning and dashing back into the den to grab the herb from the back of the den.

I carried the herbs back out, and I chewed them up, dripping the juices into Rosekit's eyes.

"Eep!" she meowed, blinking as the droplets fell into her eyes, but then relief flooded her face.

"Ah that's better," she said.

"You two shouldn't have been playing so close to the nettles," I scolded them after I spat out the used leaves.

"But, it's alright," Rosekit meowed, blinking a couple of times like her eyes were still bothering her a little bit. "You fixed it, so everything's fine."

I sighed.

 _Well if Rosekit is going to be mouse-brained, then at least she's tough._

"Yeah you did a great job," Wrenkit meowed to me, almost looking more relieved that Rosekit was okay than Rosekit was. "You know so many herbs. How's Echosong? Are you going to be the medicine cat with her now?"

"No. I'm a warrior," I meowed quickly. "And, Echosong…"

I glanced at the kits.

"She's still sick, but she's fighting. I'm sure she'll start getting better soon," I meowed.

Rosekit and Wrenkit nodded. I felt a weight in my stomach, wishing I believed my own words as easily as they did.

 _There's no need to frighten them._

"You two should run along now," I meowed to them, nudging them away with my muzzle. "I'm busy caring for Echosong. And, stay away from nettles and thorns."

"Alright we will!" Wrenkit meowed.

"Bye Lightningfire!" Rosekit chirped.

I watched the kits scamper off, Rosekit running right along side Wrenkit like she had never even been hurt.

I sighed, wishing that I could be filled with the same innocent carelessness as them, instead of feeling like the fate of the whole clan rested in my paws.

I spotted a returning hunting patrol of Seedheart, Clovertail, Sparrowpelt, and Sharpclaw coming back into camp. Sharpclaw dropped off his prey in the fresh-kill pile, then turned to Whisperheart, who was grooming herself nearby.

"Will you replace Nettlesplash on prisoner guard duty?" I heard Sharpclaw meowed to her, nodding towards the figure of Nettlesplash who was sitting in front of Ripper's cave across camp.

"Oh, Er…" Whisperheart said, her eyes widening.

I saw her glance across camp to me.

I sighed, feeling another weight of duty settle over me as I remembered my promise to protect Whisperheart.

 _The responsibilities are endless._

"Can I take the guard duty, Sharpclaw?" I meowed, getting to my paws and striding over to the deputy.

Sharpclaw tilted his head at me.

"Don't you have to watch over Echosong?" he rumbled in his deep mew.

"I've been cooped up in the medicine cat's den for days," I meowed. "Please. I just want to sit under the sky for a while. And, besides, Echosong is sleeping right now."

Sharpclaw looked hesitant, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Why doesn't Whisperheart watch over Echosong?" I meowed. "That way I get to stay outside for a while, but she can yowl, and I can get to Echosong in a flick of a tail if something is wrong."

Sharpclaw was silent for a moment longer, but then he began to nod slowly.

"I don't see any harm in that," he meowed.

"Thank you, Sharpclaw," I meowed, dipping my head to him with a soft sigh.

Sharpclaw touched his tail-tip to my shoulder.

"You have been doing a great service to your Clan, Lightningfire," Sharpclaw rumbled. "And, I am grateful for that."

I dipped my head to him, warmed by the deputy's gruff praise.

Whisperheart's gaze met mine, her eyes shining with a silent thanks as we padded past each other. I headed towards Nettlesplash as she slipped into the medicine cat's den. I waved my tail in greeting to Nettlesplash as I approached him. He rose to his paws, stretching.

"Thanks Lightningfire," he meowed cheerfully as he padded away and I took his spot in front of Ripper's cave.

The sky was quickly darkening, and the inside of the cave was so wreathed in shadows that I couldn't make any sort of shapes out. The darkness inside the cave was silent. I took a seat in front of the mouth of the den, facing out towards the camp.

 _I wonder if Ripper is sleeping._

My question was answered from a voice inside the cave.

"Aw did you miss me, beautiful?"

I turned to look over my shoulder, and I saw just the faintest glint of orange eyes in the shadows. Their glow grew brighter as Ripper prowled closer to the mouth of the cave.

"I heard you ask for guard duty. I didn't know I meant so much to you," Ripper purred, his orange eyes shining with smug delight and amusement.

"I didn't do it for you," I growled. "I just wanted to sit outside for a bit, instead of being stuck in a cave."

"Yeah. Being stuck inside a tiny cave for a long time must be awful," Ripper said drily, curling his lip back slightly.

I rolled my eyes and turned to look forward, away from him. I gazed out over the camp, my thoughts wandering back to Echosong as they so often did. My eyes unfocused; I stared at nothing in particular as I wracked my brain, running through the different herbs that I've already tried, and desperately searching for a new one or a combination that I hadn't thought of yet. What I was doing wasn't working, that much was clear. If I didn't think of something then we would lose Echosong. My stomach dropped at the thought.

 _Oh StarClan, what would we do then? Do I know enough herbs to train a new medicine cat? Will StarClan train one?_

My paw pads pricked. Time was of the very essence. Even if I was able to find the right herbs to treat Echosong's sickness, if I couldn't find it fast enough, then she would be so weak by then that she would die anyways. Already she was barely eating or drinking. If I couldn't even keep her strength up, then she was gone for sure.

I heaved a heavy sigh, bending my head down and hunching my shoulders.

"You look worried, Princess."

I blinked, snapped out of my thoughts by Ripper's smooth voice.

"What do you want, Ripper?" I snapped over my shoulder.

"Only to help you, beautiful," Ripper said with a purr, walking up so close behind me so I could feel the heat of his breath on my shoulder.

I shivered slightly and straightened, subtly digging my claws into the ground, but I didn't give him the satisfaction of turning and looking back at him.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

I hesitated for a moment, staring out in front of me.

 _I suppose there's no harm in telling him._

"Echosong's sick," I snapped curtly, still keeping my gaze locked straight ahead.

"Well why don't you just take her to your what's-it-called… medicine cat-thingy?" Ripper meowed.

I rolled my eyes.

"Echosong is our medicine cat, mouse-brain," I said.

"Oh. Well that is a bit of a problem, isn't it?" he meowed.

"Exactly," I said, staring out at Rockpile.

I turned my gaze upwards to scan the stars above.

 _I wonder which one is Cloudstar._

"Don't have a spare?" Ripper asked from behind me.

"Echosong had an apprentice, Frecklewish, but she died a few seasons ago, when I was only six moons old," I said.

Ripper snorted.

"See, that's the problem with only having one or two cats that knows about herbs. Where I come from, everyone knows a little bit about herbs, so if one cat dies— no problem," he said.

I curled my lip.

"I know how little you care about if one of the cats where you come from dies. And, I bet the cats from where you're from can't even cure a bug bite, much less Echosong's disease. She's _coughing up blood_ ," I said.

I continued to stare up at the sky, this time searching for Frecklewish among the stars. More and more heartbeats passed as I gazed up at the sky, tracing lines between the silver stars with my gaze, scouring the indigo depths of the space between them.

 _Wait… why is Ripper so quiet?_

My muscles tensed. Pelt prickling with suspicion, I quickly got to my paws and whirled around, claws unsheathing. I blinked in surprise to see Ripper quietly sitting in the shadows of the cave, his orange eyes wide and thoughtful.

"What?" I asked, my confusion making me blunt.

Ripper blinked, turning to look at me with a slightly tilted head.

"I know that sickness," Ripper said. "My brother got it when we were barely more than kits. One day he was fine. Then he started to cough. Then he coughed more and more, until blood began flying out of his mouth. He could never get enough air."

Ripper's eyes had a faraway look in them as he stared out into the camp.

"It was like he was drowning," Ripper said in a strangely soft voice. "Drowning in his own blood."

My pelt prickled in quiet horror.

"What happened?" I asked, settling down to look back at him.

"My mother and father were powerful cats," Ripper said, his gaze flickering from the camp and back to me. "My mother sent dozens of cats out, demanding that they find a cure. One came back with a herb. He said he talked to a dog that knew of this disease, and he showed it to him."

 _"A dog?"_ I said in disbelief, wrinkling my nose.

Ripper ignored me.

"We gave it to my brother. But, he was already too weak. He died," Ripper said.

I was quiet for a moment, feeling a tiny flash of pity towards the rogue.

"Ripper, I'm sorr—" I began.

"My father got sick with the same illness. He started to cough only a day or so after my brother died," Ripper continued, interrupting me. "We gave him the herb, and it worked. He survived."

"Do you happen to remember the name of this herb, Ripper?" I asked, trying not to sound too desperate. "Or, what it looked like?"

"I don't know if it has a real name," Ripper meowed. "My father called it _bitterroot_ for its taste."

"What did it look like?" I repeated, staring intensely at Ripper.

His gaze finally flickered to me, like he was just returning to himself after traveling deep through his memories. His level orange gaze stared into my eyes, and I felt my stomach clench.

 _Does he know? Will he even tell me?_

My brow furrowed, and I had to clench my paws to keep my claws from sliding out.

 _Will he not say and let Echosong die just to spite me?_

"I remember that the cat who found it said it was growing by a stream in the woods. It was a pretty plant with pale blue flowers that had a bit of yellow in the middle, but it's the roots that you want," Ripper said.

Excitement surged through me, and I leaped to my paws.

"By a stream. Blue flowers. Got it," I said, paws itching with anticipation. "Do you remember anything else? Like how many petals the flowers had? What it smelt like?"

"I'm smart, but my memory isn't _that_ great, beautiful," Ripper said with a snort, curling his lip at me, suddenly back to his normal, snarky self.

He swept his harsh orange gaze over me, studying my face.

"Don't get your hopes too high, Princess," he meowed. "My father lived, but he wasn't ever as strong as he was before he got sick with the Bleeding Cough. And, he died young because of the toll it took on him."

I was already backing away from Ripper's den.

"I understand," I meowed. "Thank you."

I saw Ripper roll his eyes before I turned and dashed away.

"Whatever," he muttered.

But, I thought I saw him give his chest a self-satisfied lick.

* * *

*******Author's Note: Sorry for the delay everyone! School's been really busy. But, now that Thanksgiving is here, I'm hoping to get a couple of chapters out in these next few days, so keep your eyes out!******


	56. Chapter 55: Bitterroot

"Waspwhisker! Take over guard duty!" I shouted to the tom as he picked up a mouse from the fresh-kill pile.

He was the only cat in camp, everyone else had headed to the dens for the night.

"But!" he protested.

"Just do it! This is urgent!" I meowed, climbing up the cliff, towards my mother's den.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Waspwhisker twitch his tail, but he stalked over to Ripper's cave anyways. I looked back forward, bounding up the last couple of tail lengths of the trail.

"Leafstar!" I called, entering the cozy cave without waiting for her to invite me inside.

I saw my mother and father stir, their heads raising from the nest.

"I have great news," I meowed excitedly.

The moon was rising behind us, casting a faint bit of light into the cave.

"I know what herb to use to heal, Echosong! I need some cats to go out on patrol right away to find it!" I meowed to my parents.

Leafstar blinked sleep out of her eyes, her gaze brightening as she processed my words.

"What? That's wonderful news, Lightningfire," Leafstar said. "But, how in StarClan's name did you learn about this herb?"

I froze, hesitating.

 _Will she allow me to use the herb if she knew it was Ripper that told me? She doesn't trust, Ripper, and rightly so…_

The fur on my back prickled slightly.

 _What if Ripper_ ** _is_** _lying to me? What if this herb is made up? Or, worse, poison because he wants Echosong to die!_

"Er…" I said, thoughts whirling as I tried to decide what to say to Leafstar.

Then I remembered the look on Ripper's face as he talked about his brother's death, and I felt a twitch in my chest.

 _He's not making it up._

"Ripper told me about it," I meowed, steading myself.

"Ripper? The prisoner?" Leafstar meowed, her brow furrowing. "Lightningfire, are you being serious?"

"He knows about the disease," I meowed. "The bleeding cough. His brother and his father got it when he was a kit. He told me about the herb that would cure it."

Leafstar looked at me, uncertainty plain on her face.

"Mother, please. I think he's telling the truth," I meowed. "He said it grows in the forest by streams, it has pale blue flowers with a little yellow in their centers."

"I don't trust that tom," Leafstar said, a quiet growl in her voice.

"Cloudstar told me in my dream that the answer I wanted was already among us," I meowed. "I think Ripper is it."

I looked away from my mom for a moment before meeting her eyes again.

"I don't trust Ripper either. He's dangerous. But… I don't think he's lying about this," I meowed. "So, I'm not asking you to trust Ripper. But, I am asking you to trust me."

Leafstar was still silent.

"Without a cure, Echosong will die," I meowed bluntly to her. "Nothing I've been doing is working. This herb is our only shot. If Ripper is lying, and it does nothing… well, Echosong would have been dead either way."

Leafstar started to nod slowly.

"I'm counting on you, Lightningfire," Leafstar meowed in a grave voice.

My stomach twisted, and I dipped my head to her.

"I know it's the middle of the night," I meowed. "But, Echosong is weak. I would like to head out on a patrol with Ripper as soon as possible to look for it."

"Pick your warriors to go with you," Leafstar meowed, giving a nod of permission.

"Thank you," I meowed.

I turned and strode out of the den, climbing a little ways along the trail to get to the warriors' den. I padded inside, and immediately walked over to Wolfshade's sleeping form. I prodded his fluffy flank lightly with my paw, and his grey-green eyes flickered open.

"I know what herb I need to find for Echosong," I meowed.

Wolfshade was getting to his paws before I could even ask him to join me on patrol.

"Let's get going," he meowed.

A soft purr rumbled in my throat.

"Hold on a moment," I meowed. "The more cats helping, the better."

I walked around the den to Nightstorm who was curled up with his side pressed to Creamclaw. I flicked his ears with my tail, and he stirred, raising his head. Creamclaw's grey eyes opened as Nightstorm shifted against her side.

"Wha—?" Nightstorm grumbled irritatedly, squinting up at me.

"I'm leading an emergency patrol to look for a herb for Echosong," I meowed.

"We'll come," Creamclaw meowed, sitting up, her eyes brightening with excitement.

Nightstorm shot her a look and sighed, but he rose to his paws too. I turned and I saw Wolfshade had woken Egg and the two toms were waiting by the entrance to the den. I walked over to them and stood by Wolfshade's side as Nightstorm and Creamclaw came over to the entrance of the den more slowly.

"I didn't realize this was a couples' outing," Egg joked as Nightstorm and Creamclaw joined us.

I felt my fur flush slightly with heat, and Wolfshade and I exchanged a quick look. I turned and lead the patrol out of the den rather than saying anything in reply to Egg. I bounded down the cliff with my friends at my paws. I then led my patrol over to Ripper's den.

"Thank you, Waspwhisker," I meowed to the black-and-white tom. "I can take back over from here."

Waspwhisker looked at the patrol of cats that stood around me with curiosity. He opened his mouth like he was going to ask something. But, then he just shrugged like he didn't have the energy for it.

"Goodnight guys," Waspwhisker meowed, walking away and over to the dens.

I glanced over at Ripper's cave. I saw Ripper silently staring out at me with wide, orange eyes. I turned to look back at my patrol.

"We are looking for a herb that grows by the stream. It has pale blue flowers with yellow in their centers," I meowed.

I paused for a fraction of a heartbeat.

"And, we have to take Ripper on the patrol with us," I finished.

"Wait. I'm sorry, what?" Nightstorm said, his lip curling back slightly.

I turned and met my brother's gaze levelly.

"He knows the herb. He's the only one who's actually seen it," I meowed calmly. "He has to come with us."

Nightstorm's short, dark fur bristled down his back.

"Have you got bees in your brain? You're trusting the word of a lying, thieving, murderous rogue?" Nightstorm said through bared teeth.

"Hey. That's 'lying, thieving, murderous, _handsome_ rogue' to you," Ripper said, striding out of the cave.

He arched his back and stretched each leg, his muscles rippling in the moonlight under his scarred pelt. He gave his striped, light brown pelt a shake and took a deep breath.

"Ah," he sighed, then inhaled again deeply. "It feels good to be out of that stuffy cave."

My patrol watched him warily. I saw Creamclaw's claws slide out.

"You will stay close to us at all times," I warned Ripper. "And, don't think of trying anything. It's five against one, and you're still injured. You have no chance."

"Whatever you say, my Princess," Ripper meowed cheerfully.

The fur down my back prickled uncomfortably. Wolfshade glared at Ripper, flattening his ears before glancing over at me.

"Let's go," I meowed, starting to turn away.

"I'm not letting Ripper go on this patrol," Nightstorm growled to me. "And, I will not help you search for a herb that _he_ told you about."

I let out an irritated hiss, turning on my brother.

"Do you want Echosong to die? I don't like this either, but we have no other choice," I said. "I think Ripper is telling the truth, but if my word isn't enough for you… our mother, Leafstar, _your clan leader_ gave me permission. So, he is coming. And, we are finding this flower."

Nightstorm glared at me for a moment longer, but then he looked away, and I knew I won this argument for now.

"Now. Follow me," I meowed.

I led our patrol through camp, following the river downstream through the gorge. As we padded along the bank of the stream, trees soon began to appear around us, as the sandy gorge soil slowly became more dirt-like.

"Alright," I meowed. "Spread out everyone. It grows by streams in woods, so we're going to follow the river and look until we find it. And, remember, the herb has blue flowers with yellow centers."

I glanced back at my patrol.

"Nightstorm, you stay with Ripper," I meowed.

Nightstorm nodded.

 _It'll make my brother feel better if he gets to guard Ripper personally._

I turned forward again and padded over to the stream, getting so close to it that the water lapped at my paws. Then I turned, walking along the water's edge, parallel to its flow. My clan-mates spread out, combing the trees by the river, leaving me to check the immediate bank. My paws squelched in wet sand as I trotted along. I stopped every so often to sniff every patch of fern and grass, hoping to spot blue flowers. I felt myself growing tired after we had been walking and searching for a while. I sighed, pausing for a moment to stretch my legs, and I looked up and caught a glimpse of grey fur flashing silver in the moonlight from some bushes to my side.

"Any luck?" I meowed to him.

Wolfshade's board silver head poked out of the undergrowth.

Wolfshade blinked at me, giving his head a shake, his green eyes glowing as they reflected the light of the moon.

"Wait! I think I found something!" Creamclaw's voice called from farther in the woods, echoing out through the trees.

I felt a jolt through me at her words that chased the tiredness from my paws. Wolfshade and I exchanged an excited look. I quickly sprung forward and headed towards the sound of Creamclaw's voice with Wolfshade at my tail. We brushed through the undergrowth and found her standing by the roots of a fallen tree, sniffing some blue flowers at it's base. I peered curiously at the blossoms. I did not recognize the flowers. Echosong didn't have anything like them in her store. My ear twitched back as Egg appeared out of the undergrowth from behind Wolfshade and I, and he glanced at the herbs curiously as Nightstorm and Ripper padded up last.

Ripper strode forward, making his way towards Creamclaw. Creamclaw flinched back when she noticed him, startled by his approach. Nightstorm sprung at Ripper, a snarl on his lips, shoving him away from Creamclaw. Ripper growled, stumbling back from the push, hunching his back and unsheathing his claws.

"Enough," I snapped.

Both Ripper and Nightstorm looked at me.

"Let Ripper see the flowers," I said.

Nightstorm glared at Ripper for a moment longer, but then he stepped aside, keeping himself close to Creamclaw. Ripper stared at Nightstorm for a few more heartbeats before sliding his orange gaze to the side to look down at the flowers.

"That's not right," he meowed.

"But, they're blue, see," Creamclaw meowed, her ears flattening in a look of irritation. "With yellow centers."

Ripper shook his head.

"That blue is much too dark. That's not bitterroot," Ripper meowed.

Creamclaw and Nightstorm exchanged a look that did not escape Ripper's notice. Ripper shrugged.

"Do whatever you want. Poison your medicine cat. See if I care," he meowed.

"We keep looking," I said, turning and lifting my tail to signal for them to disperse.

"But—" Egg started to protest.

I shot a look at him, and he closed his mouth. The members of the patrol slowly disappeared back into trees, just leaving me and Wolfshade.

"Do you think Ripper is lying?" I asked him softly.

Wolfshade's good ear twitched.

"I don't know. It's certainly possible," he meowed.

"The rest of our patrol seems to think his is," I said.

I sighed, shaking my head.

"I need this to be true to save Echosong. We need to find the herb, and I can't have my friends and my brother at my throat because they think that I'm believing the word of a rogue over them," I said.

"They are just frustrated," Wolfshade said.

I glanced at him, waiting for him to explain further.

"I don't think they blame you, but I do think that they think this is just a wild rabbit-chase," Wolfshade meowed. "And, that when we finally catch it, it'll turn out it wasn't a rabbit, just a tumbleweed along."

I nodded in understanding.

"Well, it better actually be a rabbit," I said.

I turned.

"Come on, we should go back to the river bank," I meowed to him.

Wolfshade nodded. He and I padded back to the stream through the woods, leaf-mold crunching under our paws. At the edge of the trees where the woods met the bank of the river, Wolfshade stood at my side as I looked out over the dark water. I glanced over at him out of the corner of my eye. I found myself wanting to press myself into his pelt and hide there from the cold reality of the world and pretend that everything was okay, instead of trudging through wet sand and looking for this flower.

 _But, we must keep searching._

I sighed, resisting the urge. Then I turned and continued down the bank of the stream.

We walked for a while longer in silence. I poked at various plants as we came across them, but we didn't find anything that even vaguely resembled blue flowers. Wolfshade bounded up a pile of boulders that were resting on the stream bed, poking his head down to peer into a crack between the rocks,

"Lightningfire, take a look at this," Wolfshade said.

I padded over to the boulders, jumped up next to him and looked down.

There was a patch of flowers growing in the damp soil in the crack between the boulders. They had pale blue petals with yellow in their centers. I bent my head down and took a deep breath. My lip curled slightly at the strong, acrid scent that emanated from them

 _Bitterroot._

I raised my head.

"Ripper get over here!" I yowled, shouting into the trees.

I heard undergrowth rustling, and Ripper and Nightstorm soon appeared from the shadows with Egg and Creamclaw at their paws.

"Here as requested, Princess," Ripper said with a curl of his lip.

"Look at this," I meowed, gesturing to the flowers with my paw.

I stepped back to make room on the top of the boulder, and Ripper leapt up in one nimble bound, balancing easily on the limited surface area. Ripper peered down at the plant, and I saw his orange eyes widen slightly. He bent his head to give them a sniff.

"This is it," he meowed, soundingly slightly surprised.

I immediately bent down and started tearing up the soil with my paws. Then I lowered my head into the crack, and, using my teeth, I carefully tugged out the roots. They were plentiful and long and thin. I could taste their bitterness seeping onto my tongue, even though I held them loosely in my jaws. I left half of the plants intact and still managed to fill my jaws almost to bursting with the roots I gathered. I lifted my head from the crack in the boulder and nodded in the direction of camp.

"Let's head back," Wolfshade meowed, noticing the gesture.

Dawn was breaking when we made it back to camp. Warriors had started to drift out of the den. Some were chatting and others were sharing tongues in the faint light. Sharpclaw was also down in camp, but it looked like he was not assigning patrols yet. As my patrol arrived, tired and splattered with dirt, we drew curious glances. Rather than saying anything, I made a bee-line for the medicine cat's den, while Nightstorm escorted Ripper back to his den.

"You're welcome, beautiful," Ripper meowed over his shoulder to me as Nightstorm took him away.

I responded with a low growl, and a sharp glance out of the corner of my eye. I brushed through the ferns at the mouth of the medicine cat's den and walked inside.

"There you are," Whisperheart meowed, sitting up from where she was couching close to Echosong's side. "Echosong has just been sleeping the whole time."

Whisperheart shook out her bushy dark ginger fur and tilted her head back, giving a yawn, and I caught a quick glance of the jagged, milky white scar that slashed viciously across her throat.

 _Was Ripper the cat that did that?_

The thought flashed intrusively into my mind. I gave my head a small shake.

 _No, Ripper can't be that much older than Whisperheart. And, I doubt Whisperheart would be alright with him being in camp and so close to her if he was._

"Good. Thank you for watching her, Whisperheart," I meowed, dropping the herbs on the ground next to Echosong's sleeping form.

I expected Whisperheart would want to leave now that I was back, but she lingered, looking curiously down at the plants at my paws.

"What is that?" she meowed.

"Bitterroot," I meowed. "I think it'll help cure Echosong."

Whisperheart gave the herbs a curious sniff, wrinkling her nose when the sharp scent nipped at her nose.

"Never heard of it," she meowed.

"Me neither," I said.

Whisperheart gave me a puzzled look, evidently wondering how I would have gotten the herb if I had never heard of it.

I bent my head and picked up one of the roots in my jaws. My eyes started to water as I accidentally crunched one of the ends between my teeth, bitter juices dripping on my tongue. I put the root down right in front of Echosong. I nosed the medicine cat's cheek with my muzzle.

"Echosong. Echosong, wake up," I meowed.

Her blue eyes fluttered weakly. I shoved the root forward so it bumped her muzzle.

"Echosong I need you to eat this," I meowed.

She looked at me through half-lidded eyes.

"I know you might not feel like eating, but you have to," I said sternly. "You're a medicine cat. You know you have to eat herbs to get better."

Echosong's eyes fluttered back shut, but she lapped up the herb and swallowed it with only a small grimace. Echosong gave a few weak coughs as she drifted back into sleep. I pressed my ear to her chest, listening to her laborious breaths, and the sound of sloshing in her lungs.

Ripper's words echoed in my ears.

 _'It was like he was drowning… drowning in his own blood.'_

I shuddered, straightening.

"Do you think it did anything?" Whisperheart meowed.

I shrugged, giving my head a shake.

"We won't know for a while," I replied.

"Then what do we do now?" Whisperheart asked.

"Now we wait," I meowed.


	57. Chapter 56: I Should Go

I stirred in my nest. My eyes flickered open to see the inside of the medicine cat's den. I stretched for a moment, and then the first thing I did was pad over to Echosong.

I have been giving her the bitterroot for a few days now. So far I haven't noticed a difference. She was just as weak, still coughing blood, and still refusing food. I sighed, sitting next to her as my gaze swept over the thinning sliver striped pelt, and the ribs I could see started to jut out from underneath. I bent my head to more closely examine her. I pressed my ear to her chest to listen to her breathing.

I inhaled sharply as I realized her breathing sounded clear. I could only faintly detect some sort of blockage, but it seemed no worse than white-cough. I pulled my head back, my eyes wide.

 _The bitterroot is working._

I got to my paws, turning quickly to head to the back of the den. I grabbed another root from my herb supply and carried it back over to Echosong.

I dropped it in front of her and nosed her awake.

"Time to eat your herbs, Echosong," I meowed.

Her eyes flickered open.

"What is this?" she rasped quietly.

My ears pricked, a feeling of surprise and happiness shocking through me.

 _This is the first time she's spoken since she got really sick._

"It's called bitterroot. It's the cure for your cough," I said to her gently.

Echosong didn't respond beyond eating the root without another word. Her eyelids started to flutter sleepily again.

"Let me get you some prey too, before you go back to sleep," I meowed to her.

I quickly dashed out of the den, heading towards the fresh-kill pile. I glanced over at Ripper's cave. Creekfeather was currently sitting in front of it on guard duty.

 _I'll take another mouse over to Ripper after I bring one to Echosong, so I can talk to him._

I turned my gaze back over to the fresh-kill pile. Nightstorm was sitting close to it, finishing up eating a squirrel.

"Lightningfire," he meowed, beckoning me over with a tail twitch as I padded his way.

"Hey, how are you?" I meowed, walking over to him.

"Fine," he said.

He glanced from side to side like he was checking who was nearby.

"Hey, Whisperheart's your friend right?" Nightstorm asked suddenly.

"Yeah…" I replied slowly.

 _Where is he going with this?_

"Do you think she's been acting a bit strange lately?" Nightstorm said, I could tell he was doing his best to sound casual, although I could see the interest sparking in his deep green eyes.

"I don't know what you mean," I said with a shake of my head.

"To me it seems like she's kind of been on edge recently… ever since Ripper got here," Nightstorm said.

The fur on my shoulders started to prickle slightly. I tried my best to flatten it before he could notice.

"You don't think… she could know Ripper somehow?" Nightstorm asked.

"Don't be ridiculous," I said shaking my head. "Whisperheart is nothing like Ripper. Why would she know him?"

Nightstorm shrugged.

"I'm just saying it seems a little coincidental, that's all," Nightstorm said.

"What is?" I said.

"We know nothing about Whisperheart or her friends' background, and they are all very tight-lipped about it, then this cat, Ripper, shows up just as mysteriously… Whisperheart seems tense, and I've never seen her on prisoner guard duty…" Nightstorm said.

I flattened my ears.

"Stop being so paranoid. You're turning a firefly into a star," I said.

"But, was what I said incorrect?" Nightstorm argued.

"You need to accept that Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver are a part of this Clan," I meowed sternly. "Just as much as you and I are."

I got to my paws and took two mice from the pile.

"Except that you and I were born here, while they grew up lawlessly, doing StarClan-knows what," Nightstorm muttered, half to himself. "If we don't know what they were like then, how can we trust them to be good and loyal now?"

I chose to ignore him, walking away with the mice in my jaws. I padded back to the medicine cat's den. I dropped the mouse in front of Echosong, stirring her awake and coasting her into eating a few bites. She ate about half the mouse.

 _I think that is promising._

I looked down at Echosong, but I was not really seeing her. Instead, Nightstorm's words continued to ring in my head.

 _No, he's wrong. I've gotten to know Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver through the moons, and I've seen that they are good cats. I've seen how they act, and I've seen how much prey they catch, and how they patrol just as much as any other of the warriors._

I looked down at the second mouse at my paws, the one I was going to bring to Ripper.

 _If they are good cats… then can't I say the same about Ripper?_

I gave my head a small shake, feeling conflict tear at my belly.

 _But, they aren't murderers._

Echosong had fallen back into a deep sleep, so I picked up the other mouse and walked out of the den.

I padded over to the cave in the cliff where Ripper's den was, nodding at Creekfeather as I approached.

"I have a mouse for Ripper," I meowed to Creekfeather. "And, I can watch him for a bit, if you want a break."

"Alright, thanks," Creekfeather meowed cheerfully, getting to his paws and stretching his legs. "Honestly, I've been dying for a drink of water."

Creekfeather scampered off as I walked over to the mouth of the cave, dropping the mouse there.

Ripper came out of the shadows, and for a moment, I was struck by the thought of him as a huge tiger, prowling through a forest at night.

"Thanks for the mouse," he said.

I nodded, taking a step back from him and taking a seat. He crouched down and began to eat, and I watched him quietly for a moment before clearing my throat.

"Echosong's condition seems to have stabilized," I said, casting him a quick glance.

"Thank you, again," I said quietly.

Ripper looked up at me from where he had been crouching and staring down at the mouse at his paws.

"No need to thank me. Anything for you, Princess," he said with a purr.

I rolled my eyes, looking away from him.

I felt the same strange conflict sink its claws into my belly.

"Why did you help me?" I asked Ripper, directing my question at the ground a few tail-lengths away from his paws rather than directly at him.

"Well, you're just so beautiful. I can't say no to you," Ripper said, still purring.

"Be serious," I said with a growl, glancing back at him and narrowing my eyes.

"Alright, alright…" Ripper said, his orange eyes gleaming from the shadows. "The truth is… My heart just bleeds for other cats in need."

I gave another frustrated growl, and I turned my back to him.

"I love helping cats. I love all creatures, really. I'd never even harm a fly. I'm the most giving, generous cat there is," Ripper said, prattling on and on from behind me.

"No, but you are the most annoying cat there is," I said loudly over my shoulder.

"Your words cut deep, Princess," Ripper meowed plaintively. "And, after all I've done for you."

I rolled my eyes, heaving a sigh of annoyance.

 _Oh StarClan, give me strength._

I stared out into camp, Ripper's words oddly enough echoing in my ears.

 _…He has done something for me. He helped me, even though it was no benefit to himself._

I glanced back at him out of the corner of my eye.

 _Why though? He won't tell me. Is he not actually the monster that he acts like he is?_

"What?" Ripper asked, looking up from the last bites of his mouse and catching me looking at him.

I shrugged, not answering.

"You don't need to be embarrassed," Ripper said with a rough purr. "If I was you, I'd stare at me all the time too."

I snorted.

"You wish, Ripper," I snapped, the fur on my shoulders bristling slightly.

"What?" Ripper said. "Is it Wolfshade? I know you like scars, but hey, I've got plenty too."

"Shut up or I'll give you some more," I growled.

Ripper shook his head sadly.

"You're always so quick to resort to violence, Princess," Ripper said with an exaggerated sigh. "I would never do a thing like that."

"Right. Of course. You'd never even harm a fly," I said drily.

Ripper's orange eyes flashed with surprise and delight at my comment.

"Exactly!" Ripper proclaimed, a loud, rumbling purr bursting from his throat.

It was a real, genuine purr for once, not like all the other forced or taunting ones that were done to make me uncomfortable. Strangely, it seemed to take moons off of him, softening the harsh edges of his face, making him look a little less like a scarred killer, and a little more like a normal cat.

"I knew there was a sense of humor in you somewhere under all those prickly words and claws," Ripper said as his purring died down.

"And, I think there is some goodness left in you under all those scars and bravado," I meowed. "That's why you helped me."

Ripper's orange gaze darkened at my words, the humor vanishing from his eyes.

"Wrong. You don't know me that well, Princess," he meowed.

I tilted my head, studying him.

 _He's right. I don't. What is the real Ripper like?_

Ripper fell into an unusual silence, staring down at his paws for a few moments. When he looked back up his orange eyes were so bright that they sent shivers down my spine. It was like looking into the roaring sun.

"I've seen a hunger in you," Ripper said.

I flattened my ears.

"What are you meowing on about?" I asked.

"The day you brought me back here, you told Patchfoot what to do. Ordering him around like you're the Clan leader instead of just her daughter," Ripper said. "The same thing just the other night when I told you about the bitterroot; you shouted at Waspwhisker to come guard me like he wasn't seasons older than you and a much more senior warrior. Then bossing Nightstorm around on the patrol… You act like you were born to lead. You act like you think cats should do what you say. You _want_ them to follow."

"I do not," I said quickly.

Ripper tilted his head at me thoughtfully.

"Why are you bothered by your hunger for power?" he asked.

I twitched my tail.

"I'm not, because _I'm not._ I'm not hungry for power," I meowed. "I like being a warrior. I like things the way they are."

Ripper let out a purr, shaking his head.

"You really think you'll be satisfied with this forever?" he asked. "Sharpclaw and your mother telling you what to do your whole life? What about as you get older and your experiences start to catch up to their's? Will they continue to hold every scrap of your respect? Your devotion? I don't think so."

I let out a low, angry growl at the challenge of my loyalty.

"If I don't know you, what makes _you_ think you know me?" I snapped, straightening and shooting him a sharp look.

"I don't know if I _know_ you. But, I have watched you. I've seen how you act and actions don't lie," Ripper said.

"But, you lie," I said through a rumbling growl, rising to my paws.

Ripper looked offended.

"I haven't lied to you," he meowed. "Not once. Not about the bitterroot. Not about the city where I'm from."

"Oh is that so?" I said scathingly. "So, you haven't left a thing out? Not a single omission of the terrors you've done as a lieutenant for your Queen? Or, what you would have done with Owlpaw, my apprentice, if I had been a heartbeat too slow in getting to her? No matter what you say about not harming a single hair on a cat's pelt, I don't think they call you _Ripper_ because of your gentle nature."

Ripper was silent for moment, and he glanced down at his paws.

"You're right," he meowed. "I haven't told you everything, and I don't see a reason to tell you things that would only upset you."

I snorted.

"And, you wonder why I don't trust you," I said scornfully.

Ripper looked back up at me.

"But, what I said earlier about your ambition… I didn't mean to insult you, Princess," Ripper meowed, with an unusually serious look in his wide orange eyes. "You're strong and fierce and smart. If you were from where I am, you wouldn't be a princess. You'd be Queen."

I stood there, my mouth hanging open slightly in what I thought was going to be a sharp retort, but no words came out. Ripper looked at me silently from the shadows in the mouth of the den, a serious look on his face. I was saved when Petalnose walked by.

"Hey, Lightningfire," she meowed. "How is Echosong doing with the new herb treatment?"

"Pretty… pretty good," I said, stammering for a moment as I tore my eyes from Ripper.

"I actually should be getting back to her," I meowed. "Do you mind watching Ripper for just a few moments? I had just been stopping by to give him a mouse, and Creekfeather should be back soon to take over again."

"Sure," Petalnose mowed, glancing over her shoulder at Ripper.

"Is it true that he was the one that knew about the herb?" she asked.

I expected Ripper to give a snappy reply to her, but to my surprise, he didn't say anything. Instead, he got to his paws and turned on his heel, stalking back into the shadows of his cave with a twitching tail tip.

"Yeah," I said quietly. "He was."

* * *

I didn't leave the medicine cat's den for the rest of the day. I didn't want to risk my eyes drifting across camp and meeting Ripper's from the shadow of his den. I didn't like it when our gazes held too long. When that happened it was like I could feel the heat burning in Ripper's eyes scorch through my insides, lighting a fire in my blood.

Sometimes it felt like his eyes were calling to me, whispering in my ears, tempting the darkest part of my nature.

I gave my head a shake, snapping myself out of such thoughts.

Echosong was still sleeping. She had eaten nothing more than the part of the mouse earlier. I gave her pelt a sniff. She twitched faintly in her sleep. I paced around the den, feeling trapped with the sandy walls above and around me. I felt myself slipping back into a spiral of dark thoughts.

 _What am I going to do? What is happening? Is Echosong going to get better? What about Ripper? What will we do with him? What do I even_ want _to do with him? He's a killer, but he helped me._

I gave me head a hard shake, the questions feeling overwhelming, swirling in my head and turning my stomach, making my paws ache and my claws slide out in anxiety. I ran out of the den and into the night.

I stopped in the center of the empty camp, panting lightly, feeling a cool breeze stir my fur and hearing the rustle of leaves in the distance. I bowed my head, letting out a quiet sigh.

I turned and slowly walked over to the river.

Sliverpelt shone brightly above. I sat at the edge of camp, next to the stream. The cool sand felt smooth under my pads. I dug my claws into the ground, my shoulders tense as I clenched the earth as tightly as I could under me. Then, I released the tension with a shuddering sigh, sheathing my claws. I tilted my head back, studying the stars intensely, trying to find answers among them.

My gaze was drawn to one bright, twinkling StarClan warrior.

 _I wonder if Cloudstar is looking back down at me._

"Will Echosong live?"

I jumped at the voice, turning back to see Wolfshade. The tom hung back a few tail-lengths, his long dark grey fur swept back by the gentle breeze. I gave a brief nod of greeting to him, and he came to sit by my side.

"I don't know yet," I admitted. "It looks like she's getting better, but she's still weak and has a long ways to go."

I turned my gaze back upwards, pretending like I couldn't feel the heat of him on my fur. Or, smell his scent. Or, hear his breathing.

But, I could, and it made my whole body taunt and filled with a nervous energy, knowing he was so close.

"Are you praying for her?" he asked.

My gaze flickered down to my paws.

"No," I said softly.

Wolfshade was silent. I cast a glance over at him. He was looking up at the sky now. The starlight reflected in his eyes, making them glow like Cloudstar's.

The silence stretched between us. The only noise was the rush of air in and out of our lungs. I could hear cricket's chirping and the branches of trees rustling in the distance. A cat murmured from the warriors' den, and, in the far distance, at the edge of my hearing, there was a flapping of a night-bird's wings.

"Do you think they care?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Who? StarClan?" Wolfshade asked in surprise.

"Yeah," I meowed. "I mean our Clan's been through so much worse. SkyClan has been around for generations and generations. SkyClan's even been _destroyed,_ then put back together _._ Why would they care about the death of one medicine cat?"

Wolfshade lowered his head, looking down on the ground.

"We're their decedents, and we're their clan. They're loyal to SkyClan. And, we're their blood, their family. They care about us. When we hurt, they hurt," he meowed.

"Well I'm glad they can emphasize with us, but that doesn't make them any less useless," I growled, scuffling my paws on the ground angrily.

Wolfshade angled his torn ear in my direction in a silent question. I sighed, looking back up at the sky.

"I guess when I was a kit, I thought StarClan could do anything. They were these amazing, powerful warriors watching down on us, protecting us. They'd stop anything bad from happening… but that's not true is it? They're still only cats. They're just like us, only dead," I said.

Wolfshade cocked his head, then turned to look at me for the first time since he sat down. I stared deeply into his shadowed-green and silver-starlight eyes.

"They do their best. No one's perfect Lightningfire. Not me. Not even you," he meowed, eyes softening slightly as he said those last words.

I gave a quiet, bitter purr of amusement before looking away.

"Their best should be better," I muttered.

Wolfshade didn't reply. Silence fell between us again. I looked up at the sky again. There was one, lonesome, wispy cloud drifting across the deep indigo expanse.

"I think a lot of our 'bests' should be better," Wolfshade whispered.

I looked over at him, but this time he kept his gaze locked forward and didn't meet my eyes.

"I should go," he meowed suddenly, raising himself to his paws.

Wolfshade turned to the side, looking back to the warrior's den.

"Stay," I whispered.

He froze, one paw up and one ear angling itself in my direction. I didn't look at him, instead I looked out over the dark river in front of me. He held that position for a heartbeat.

I didn't turn my head. I could hear no sound from behind me.

 _He's gone._

I sighed quietly.

Then I felt the brush of a pelt at my side as Wolfshade came back and sat back down next to me. I blinked hard, my chest feeling tight. I felt a million words bubbling just beneath the surface, burning just below my pelt.

 _I've missed you. Help me. I don't know what to do. Why does life have to be so hard? Please just stay here with me. When you sit at my side, everything is a little less big and scary._

 _…I love you._

I sighed, leaning against Wolfshade's side all at once like I had been teetering on the edge, then I let myself fall, tumbling down. I put my face in his neck fur, screwing my eyes tightly shut, and taking a deep trembling breath of his scent, trying to fill my silence with all of the things that I had been thinking. I felt the rasp of Wolfshade's tongue on my forehead for a moment, before he leaned his head against mine. We stayed like that under the stars, seemingly the only two figures in the world that were awake.


	58. Chapter 57: The Promise

The touch of a soft paw on my shoulder woke me up from a nap in the sunlight in front of the medicine cat's den. I blinked open my eyes, feeling a small jolt of surprise to see Sagewhisker standing above me.

"Hi," Sagewhisker meowed.

"Hi," I meowed, a strange feeling swirling in my stomach at the sight of him.

I stifled a yawn and sat up. I noticed Minttail hanging back a few tail-lengths behind her brother, her ears back and an uncomfortable look on her face.

"Is Echosong available?" Minttail meowed.

"Um, I think she's sleeping right now," I said, glancing from Minttail to Sagewhisker and back again.

"Can I help you?" I said.

"No," Minttail grumbled.

"Minttail feels ill and needs to see a medicine cat," Sagewhisker said.

"What's the problem?" I asked, looking at Minttail.

"Nothing," she said with a growl. "I don't want you. I want Echosong, a real medicine cat."

My tail-tip twitched almost imperceptibly.

"Well, I'm all you got right now," I said curtly. "And, I do know things about herbs, and Echosong has been getting better while I've been caring for her, so…"

"She has a bellyache," Sagewhisker said, prompting Minttail to shoot him an angry look in response.

"That's it? No other fever or aches or coughs?" I asked.

Minttail grudgingly shook her head.

"I'll be right back," I meowed, getting to my paws and padding into the medicine cat's den.

I headed to the herb storage, grabbing a couple of juniper berries that I carried back out of the den and to Minttail. I put the berries down in front of her. Minttail bent her head to sniff at them suspiciously.

"They're juniper berries," I meowed. "Good for bellyaches."

Minttail glanced up at me.

"I'm not trying to poison you," I said with an eye roll.

Minttail lapped up the berries without a word.

"Come back tonight if you still feel sick," I said.

"Thank you, Lightningfire," Sagewhisker meowed.

"You're welcome," I meowed, shooting a glance at the pale grey tabby out of the corner of my eye.

I nodded in farewell as the siblings padded away, Minttail with her shoulders hunched and Sagewhisker with a distance in his clear green eyes. For a moment, I remembered how close the two of us had once been. It's strange. It felt so long ago now. My gaze flickered to Minttail's grey back. It was clear that Minttail still disliked me for stealing Wolfshade away from her. My ear twitched back. Yet, I didn't feel resentful for helping her. Instead, I felt a strange sort of satisfaction.

 _She needed me. I am the only one who could have helped her._

 _She was completely at my mercy._

I shuddered at that last thought, giving my head a sharp shake.

 _Not that I would have hurt her or let her suffer, though. She's my clan-mate._

I looked down at my paws.

 _But, Ripper's right. You like that power, don't you?_ a quiet thought whispered in the back of my mind.

 _No,_ I snarled down at my paws. _I don't. He's not right._

I stood up, shaking my head again. I needed to move my paws to distract myself from the dark thoughts whispering in my head.

I poked my head into the medicine cat's den to confirm that Echosong was still sleeping. She was, her flanks rising and falling easily. She was eating more and more with each passing day, and spending less time sleeping. I was beginning to get hesitantly hopeful that she was going to make it through.

I pulled my head back out and wandered into camp. I saw Owlpaw wrestling by Rockpile with Sootypaw. The older apprentice was holding Owlpaw off easily, his fluffy grey pelt barely ruffled as Owlpaw scrabbled and writhed under his grip.

"How are you, Owlpaw?" I meowed.

Owlpaw's yellow eyes flickered to me, her gaze lighting up.

"Lightningfire!" she meowed happily, bouncing to her feet as Sootypaw released her from his paws.

I nodded to Sootypaw in greeting.

"Hello, Lightningfire," he meowed a bit shyly.

Owlpaw had none of his reservations. She came bounding over to me, nuzzling my shoulder affectionately with her muzzle like she was a kit. I gave a soft purr.

"Are we training today?" she asked, her rumpled ginger and white pelt standing up every which way.

I felt a jab of guilt as I shook my head.

"Echosong is getting better, but I don't feel comfortable leaving her alone for long yet," I said.

Owlpaw's face fell, but only for a moment.

"That's okay," she meowed, her gaze brightening again. "Wolfshade said he would do some battle training with me today."

I nodded, but I felt a weird stab of jealousy.

 _Wolfshade gets to spend more time with my apprentice than I do._

I shook my head, shaking the negative emotion off.

 _I should be grateful to him for helping me out._

"That's great," I meowed.

"Look what I've learned!" she said excitedly.

Owlpaw slipped into a crouch. She lunged forward, nipping at the air and flashing her paw out in a couple of different swipes.

"Very nice," I purred, impressed with her tight, smooth movements.

Owlpaw sat back up, giving her pelt a self-satisfied shake.

"Wolfshade says that since I'm not very big, I have to be quick and nimble," Owlpaw meowed.

I nodded.

"That's true. Size isn't everything. I can beat a cat much bigger than me because of my speed," I said.

"Just like how you beat Ripper!" Owlpaw meowed, her gaze shining. "That was amazing, I want to be able to fight as good as you someday."

I purred, feeling a rush of warmth in my chest towards my apprentice.

"As if Lightningfire's head isn't big enough," a teasing voice rumbled from behind me.

I turned to see Wolfshade padding over, a sparkle in his grey-green eyes.

"To be fair, Ripper doesn't have any warrior training," Wolfshade said, inclining his head to me, and shooting me a challenging look.

"Oh yeah?" I said, my chest puffing as I rose to meet his challenge. "Well, I can beat big cats with warrior training too! I've even beaten you in a fight!"

"No you haven't," Wolfshade scoffed.

"I have! You just can't remember it," I meowed teasingly, prodding his chest with my paw.

"Uh-huh. A likely story," Wolfshade said in his gravelly voice, shaking his head.

"I can beat you!" I insisted, my tail-tip twitching playfully.

"Prove it!" he said, his green eyes shimmering.

I leapt at Wolfshade. He let out a playful snarl as I bowled him over. His big, fluffy paws buffeted at my face, but the pats were soft and his claws were carefully sheathed. I had him on his back, my forepaws pinning his shoulders, for only a heartbeat before he twisted, sweeping all four of my feet out from under me in one smooth motion. I yelped as I fell to the side, while Wolfshade sprung up and ungracefully flopped all of his weight on top of me. I sputtered, spitting his long grey pelt out of my mouth.

"Do you surrender?" he asked.

"Never," I snarled, wiggling determinedly.

I started to claw my way out from underneath him as he laid there lazily, but just as I was about to free myself, Wolfshade jolted forward with surprising speed, grabbing my shoulders with his forepaws to drag me back under him again.

"Hey!" I protested.

"What?" Wolfshade meowed, twisting so he could look at me.

There was a smug, self-satisfied look on his face.

"Oomph!" Wolfshade said as I gave his side that I was trapped under a big kick from my hind legs, and I scrambled out from under him in that moment of distraction.

Wolfshade started to get back to his paws, when Owlpaw sprung onto his back, giving his scruff a nip. I sprung back forward, swatting at Wolfshade's flanks with my paws and nipping at his ankles.

"Traitor!" Wolfshade said, giving his shoulders a shake in an attempt to dislodge Owlpaw. "I can't believe this, after all that training I've done with you!"

"Sorry! Lightningfire's my mentor!" Owlpaw meowed.

I purred, pulling back from my attack and shooting Wolfshade a triumphant look as he continued to shake his shoulders futilely. Owlpaw wasn't coming off though; her little paws were too deeply buried in his long fur.

Wolfshade shot me a look before heaving a sigh of defeat.

"Okay you two win," Wolfshade meowed, falling to his side.

Owlpaw sprung off of him, purring happily while Wolfshade continued to lie on the ground on his side. I trotted over to him, standing above him. Wolfshade glanced up at me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't hear you," I meowed, swallowing back purrs. "What did you say?"

Wolfshade rolled his eyes, but I could hear a deep purr rumbling in his throat.

"I said: you win," he meowed, staring up at me.

I purred, raising my tail happily.

"But, just so you know, this doesn't _actually_ count as beating me since it was two against one," Wolfshade said, glancing up at me with his whiskers twitching.

I sat next to him, giving his shoulder a poke.

"I'm down for a rematch any time," I said.

"Deal," Wolfshade replied, his eyes sparkling playfully.

I felt a rush of warmth towards Wolfshade. It was if a gentle warm glow filled me up from my paws to my ear-tips. I almost bent my head down to touch my muzzle to his, but before I could, Wolfshade looked away and rolled to his paws.

He nodded to Owlpaw.

"We better get going. We're meeting Egg and Adderpaw for battle training at sun-high," Wolfshade said.

Owlpaw scrambled to her paws, nodding eagerly.

"Okay," I meowed, doing my best to mask the sudden drop of disappoint I felt in my stomach. "I should get back to Echosong anyways."

I started to turn away, but before I could Wolfshade touched his nose gently to mine, stopping me. Our eyes met for a moment.

"Later," he purred, pulling his head back, turning and walking off, Owlpaw running to his side.

"Bye," I meowed to his back, feeling a bit breathless.

I closed my eyes, feeling the ground spinning under me, like I had been running through fields and forests as fast as I could go. I purred softly to myself.

Then I snapped my eyes open, giving myself a small shake.

 _Stop acting like a moon-struck dove,_ I chided myself.

I turned and padded back to the medicine cat's den.

I spent the rest of the day tidying up the den, organizing herbs and keeping an eye on Echosong. Minttail didn't return for more herbs, so I assumed her stomachache must have gone away, or she was just too prideful to come back. However, when night fell, and I curled up in my nest, I found myself restless. I tossed and turned as the thin sliver of the moon crept higher and higher into the sky. I curled up one way or another, but I couldn't seem to find a comfortable position to sleep in. I screwed my eyes tightly shut, wishing for the comforting touch of Wolfshade's pelt instead of being alone in this big, empty nest. I flashed my eyes back open.

 _There's no way I'm going to be able to sleep right now._

I padded towards the entrance of the medicine cat's den. I yawned, standing just in the shadows of the mouth of the cave.

 _I wish I could go for a night-hunt. I haven't gone out on a hunt or a patrol in so long. But, I don't want to leave Echosong for too long._

I sighed, looking out into camp sadly.

There was one lone figure in camp, the prisoner guard. I could see them sitting a few tail lengths away from the entrance to Ripper's cave. I watched the silhouette of the cat, trying to decipher which of the warriors the slim figure belonged to. Then a flicker of movement caught my eye. The fur on my shoulders rose as I saw a large shadow detach itself from the darkness of the cliff-face and spring at the guard. The guard fell without so much of a whisper and the shadow turned, wasting no time in sprinting out of camp. It was all over in no more than three heartbeats.

I shot to my paws, bounding over to the guard, my heart pounding. It was Ravenfur, sprawled on the ground.

 _Oh StarClan, please be okay._

I gently touched my nose to her flank, letting out a sigh of relief when I realized her breathing was even. I pulled my head back. There was no scent of blood, but Ravenfur's eyes were closed. She was knocked out cold.

My pelt bristled, righteous anger boiled my blood at the attack of my clan-mate. I turned to look into Ripper's den, but my gaze showed me what I was already expecting.

The den was empty.

I stared into the cave, a low growl building in my throat. I turned my eyes back forward, Ripper's fresh scent trail stinging in my nose.

 _I'll flay that fox-heart._

With another growl, I sprinted after Ripper.

I followed his scent trail through the gorge and into the forest, my paws flying quickly and silently over the familiar ground. Ripper did not have the fortune of traveling through familiar territory, and before long, I could hear the sounds of him crashing through the undergrowth ahead of me, muttering curses as brambles tugged at his fur. I burst through a patch of ferns, coming to a stop as I spotted him only a few tail lengths ahead of me.

"Stop," I growled, my voice low.

I lashed my tail, unsheathing my long claws and digging them into the ground.

Ripper's ears angled back towards me, and slowly, he turned around to face me.

"What did you do to Ravenfur?" I demanded with a snarl, baring my teeth at him.

"Relax, Princess," Ripper said with a sneer, baring his teeth back in response. "I just bumped her on the head a bit. She'll probably wake up any heartbeat now, only worse for wear with a headache."

"Come back with me to camp. Now," I said, a growl rumbling in my throat as I hunched my shoulders and lashed my tail.

Ripper raised his head, appraising me from across the clearing.

"Now come on, beautiful. You're a smart cat. You know I can't do that," Ripper said.

I narrowed my eyes at him, muscles bunching in preparation to leap.

"Just let me go," Ripper meowed quietly, his clear orange eyes burning into mine, and his soft voice ringing clearly through the still night air between us.

"What?" I meowed, caught off guard.

My ears pricked at the absurdity of his words.

"Oh, come on, don't look so surprised," Ripper said, rolling his eyes. "It's not like you weren't thinking it too."

"I would never let a prisoner of SkyClan go without a fight," I said, baring my teeth at him again.

"Really? Then why haven't you called for your friends yet, hm?" Ripper challenged, raising his tail. "The camp is close enough. One yowl from you, and all of the warriors of SkyClan would be baring down on me in a heartbeat."

"What—I—" I said, my eyes widening.

My heart pounded angrily as my blood flowed hotly at the accusation.

Ripper didn't wait for me to collect my thoughts.

"Look, Princess, you _owe_ me," Ripper said taking a step forward. "I told you about an herb that saved your medicine cat's _life_."

I clenched my jaw, digging my claws into the dirt.

"I owe you nothing," I spat. "You came into our territory and attacked me and my clan-mates. We can do to you whatever we see fit."

Ripper shot me a look out of narrowed eyes.

"Were you really planning on keeping me a prisoner forever?" Ripper pointed out, taking another step towards me.

"No," I meowed stubbornly.

"Then what were you going to do with me?" Ripper asked.

"I don't know. That's not up to me to decide," I snapped, tail lashing.

"But, you decide this," Ripper said, flicking his tail from me to him to indicate this current situation.

He took another step forward, and now he was so close I could feel the heat of his breath on my whiskers, and the sharpness of his clean, tart scent nipped at my nose.

"So, what will you do with me now?" Ripper asked in a soft voice, his breath stirring my whiskers.

He narrowed his eyes as he gazed down at me.

I hesitated, studying the powerful, scarred tom before me.

"Where would you go?" I asked.

Ripper shrugged.

"Here. There. Back to the city maybe," he meowed.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Would you kill me without a second thought to escape?" I asked.

Ripper blinked in surprise, not expecting that question.

"…I'd have a second thought," he meowed, adding a rough purr, making it impossible for me to tell if he was joking.

Ripper looked at me with a thoughtful head tilt.

"What about you, Princess? Would you kill me to stop me from leaving?" he asked.

"No," I meowed.

I saw something almost like satisfaction appear in Ripper's orange eyes.

"The warrior code forbids killing," I added.

The look of satisfaction vanished from his gaze.

"So, it has nothing to do with my charming personality?" Ripper said with a slight lip curl.

"No," I repeated in a low voice, my gaze scouring his.

My thoughts whirled as I looked into his harsh, orange eyes.

 _Ripper has a point. What does Leafstar plan on doing with him? She would never allow him to join SkyClan, even if that was something that he wanted. She's not going to execute him. Which leaves what? …Exile?_

I narrowed my gaze.

"I've decided," I said. "I will allow you to leave."

Ripper's ears pricked in surprise, and a quiet purr started to rumble in his throat. He opened his mouth, but I cut him off before he could speak.

"On one condition," I meowed, leaning forward slightly so we were basically nose-to-nose and bristling out my fur so I looked bigger.

"You will never tell your rogue friends back in the two-leg place about SkyClan," I said.

Ripper closed his mouth, and he narrowed his eyes at me. My gaze searched his as I stared intensely into his eyes.

"And, you will _never_ return here," I said, my voice a low growl.

Ripper's eyes flashed in the dim light. We stood there, nose-to-nose as several heartbeats passed.

"I understand," Ripper meowed finally.

I was the one who first stepped back.

"Good. Goodbye Ripper," I said, turning.

I started to walk away.

"Wait," Ripper said.

I froze, turning to gaze at him over my shoulder.

"Do you really hate me so much that you never wish to see my face again?" Ripper meowed, an unreadable expression on his face.

His orange gaze met mine. I looked into the eyes of the most annoying, ruthless, and dangerous cat that I've ever met, and what I felt… wasn't hate.

 _But, that doesn't change what he's done; all of the crimes and the murders he's committed, and all the danger and chaos he could possibly bring here. And, I will do whatever it takes to protect SkyClan._

I bared my teeth at Ripper, in one final snarl of goodbye.

"No, I don't hate you," I said. "…But, if you break your word, and if any harm comes to my family, or to Wolfshade, or to my Clan because of you— I promise, _I will kill you_."

* * *

Author's Note: Today is a very exciting day. It marks one whole year since I posted the Prologue (the very first chapter of Lightning's Destiny) online! Now here we are, 57 chapters in and 250(!) pages later. And, I just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who has been reading along with me, whether you have been here since the beginning or just found this story today. The support I've had from you guys has been incredible. It's amazing for me to think that there are people out there who really like the characters and the story that I've been writing, and it makes me so, so happy that you do. I feel like over this year I've really grown as a writer, and the fact that I have 250 pages online honestly blows my mind because I've never thought that I was capable of writing so much. But, despite all of these chapters, Lightning's Destiny still has a ways to go before we reach the end of this ride, so I'll see you all in 2017. You guys are amazing, thanks again!


	59. Chapter 58: Guilt

"Ravenfur! Ravenfur! Are you alright?" I meowed, nosing my friend's black furred side.

She let out a quiet groan, cracking her dark blue eyes open.

"…Ripper!" she gasped.

"He's gone. The den is empty. I saw you lying on the ground when I was going to get a drink of water," I meowed, feeling hot guilt sting me at the lie. "Do you feel okay?"

"He jumped me from behind, the fox-heart!" Ravenfur snarled, scrabbling to her paws.

She winced, getting to her feet, and raising one paw to touch her head with.

"My head hurts," she said.

"Any dizziness? Can you see clearly?" I demanded, pelt prickling at the thought that she might have injured her head as badly as Wolfshade had.

Ravenfur shook her head.

"No. It just hurts," she meowed.

"He was so strong," Ravenfur added with a shudder.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked.

"Yeah," she meowed, brushing off my concern with a flick of her ears. "We have to tell Leafstar. She'll want to send a patrol after him."

"You're right," I said. "I'll wake her. But, you're not going on that patrol. I want you to go to the medicine cat's den, so I can keep an eye on you."

"But—" Ravenfur protested, her thin tail tip twitching.

"Echosong would tell you the same thing," I meowed.

Ravenfur let out a huff.

"Fine," she meowed.

She started to walk slowly to the medicine cat's den.

I got to my paws and turned to scale up the cliff, towards Leafstar's den.

"What's going on? I heard meowing from Skyrock."

I turned to see Rabbitleap trotting down the narrow, winding trail that lead up to Skyrock.

I froze, feeling a flash of panic that froze me in place.

 _Had he seen me run after Ripper?_

"Ripper escaped," I said curtly.

Now it was Rabbitleap's turn to freeze, his eyes widening slightly.

"Oh StarClan," he said, his short brown fur ruffling. "I fell asleep on accident. It was just for _two heartbeats,_ though, I swear. Nothing ever happens on guard duty… it's so boring. I never thought…"

I felt a rush of relief, then a surge of guilt at the feeling of relief.

"It's okay. Everyone's okay," I meowed. "I was going to wake Leafstar and tell her he's gone right now."

"I'll come too," Rabbitleap meowed.

He followed me the rest of the way to Leafstar's den.

"Leafstar?" I meowed.

"Come in," I heard her say from the shadows.

I brushed inside the cave, Rabbitleap right on my tail.

"Ripper escaped," I meowed as I walked in, wasting no time on greetings. "Ravenfur was guarding him. He knocked her out. She's awake now and seems fine, though I'm keeping her in the medicine cat's den for observation for a bit. I found her lying on the ground when I left the medicine cat's den to get a sip of water."

Leafstar and Brackenstorm sat up in their nest at my sudden bombardment of information and exchanged a worried look.

"I was on guard duty on Skyrock, but I didn't see him escape. I just came down when I heard Ravenfur and Lightningfire talking," Rabbitleap said.

"We should send a patrol to track him," Brackenstorm meowed. "Make sure he's not lurking around in our territory."

"Ravenfur's not seriously injured, you said?" Leafstar asked.

I nodded.

"He could have killed her, but it seems like he chose not to," I said.

"That was wise of him, because if he had, then all of the fury of SkyClan would have rained down on him," Leafstar growled.

She nodded to Rabbitleap.

"Wake Sharpclaw and tell him what's happened. Have him lead a patrol to track Ripper," Leafstar told Rabbitleap. "If he's left the territory, they are not to follow him over the border."

Rabbitleap dipped his head to her, then whirled around, dashing out of the den.

"Maybe this was for the best," Leafstar meowed, half to herself. "As long as Ripper's gone for good."

I felt a slight bit of my guilt alleviate.

 _Maybe letting him go will turn out alright._

I saw his burning orange gaze clearly in my mind as he promised never to return.

"I better get to Ravenfur," I meowed, giving a quick head dip to my mom before turning and padding out of the den.

I kept Ravenfur in the den through the night, and to my relief, the she-cat did seem to be as fine as she insisted. I told her she was free to return to warriors duties in the morning, just as long as she took it easy and told me if her head started to bother her.

But, before Ravenfur had even left the den, Leafstar called a Clan meeting in the wee hours of the dawn.

I padded towards the entrance of the medicine cat's den behind Ravenfur, my eyelids heavy and my paws dragging through the dirt. I sighed, so tired from the long night.

"What's going on?" I heard a voice rasp from behind me.

I turned to see Echosong blinking awake in her nest. I felt a jolt of happiness that she was engaging with us.

"Ripper escaped last night," I said. "Leafstar just called a Clan meeting about it. I'll tell you what happens."

Echosong nodded, resting her head back down on her paws and giving a soft cough.

I turned and walked out of the den.

Leafstar stood perched on the top of Rockpile, her head and tail held high, a powerful silhouette against a grey sky.

"Hey," Wolfshade meowed, walking through the crowd to stand next to me.

His eyes were grim.

"You heard what happened?" I meowed.

Wolfshade nodded.

"I was on the patrol last night," he said. "Ripper's scent leads right to the border by the river, then straight over it."

My brow furrowed.

 _He's gone back downstream, towards the city._

Wolfshade studied my face carefully.

"As many of you know, Ripper escaped last night," Leafstar said, drawing my attention from Wolfshade to her. "Sharpclaw led a patrol after him, but it appears like he's left the territory."

A low murmuring rose from my clan-mates.

"What does that mean?" Plumwillow meowed, rising to her paws.

Her belly was plump and round; she very was close to the end of her pregnancy.

"What if he comes back? What do we do?" she asked.

"We will not follow him past our borders," Leafstar meowed. "As long as he is gone, he is no longer our concern."

My clan-mate's shifted uneasily, some giving a few growls or other noises of protest. Plumwillow glared up at Leafstar, looking like she might want to say something else, when she was nudged back into a sitting position by Fallowfern, her mother.

 _Plumwillow is just worried about her unborn kits._

Leafstar raised her tail for silence, and the cats settled down.

"Do not worry my friends," Leafstar meowed, sweeping her gaze over all of our clan-mates. "The world is full of dangerous things. Outside of our borders, there are thousands of badgers, foxes, dogs, two-legs, and, yes, even bad cats, like Ripper. That does not mean we live our lives in fear of them. Together as a Clan we are stronger than any of those threats and capable of defending ourselves against them. We will continue to hunt and patrol as normal, and be extra vigilant for trespassers."

As Leafstar's words faded into the morning air, I nodded, my chest swelling with pride as I thought about the strength of our Clan. I turned to see my clan-mates also nodding, looking reassured that we could face any threat we came across. Leafstar bounded down from Skyrock, indicating that the meeting was over. The mood of my clan-mates was noticeable more relaxed as they dispersed, returning to dens and other duties.

I looked over at my mother as she murmured something to Sharpclaw and Brackenstorm, feeling awe prick at my paws.

 _How does she do it? She can change the whole mood of the Clan, bringing us together in just a few words._

I shook my head, not understanding it, but, still, pride that Leafstar was my mother thrummed through me.

That warm glow of happiness was shattered by a spike of icy guilt.

 _I shouldn't have let Ripper go. I should have let Leafstar make that decision._

I got to my paws, turning my head aside so I didn't have to look at Leafstar. I couldn't make my eyes gaze at her brown and cream pelt.

 _Leafstar is SkyClan's leader. She's the one that makes the decisions that effect the whole Clan._

My eyes widened.

 _Oh StarClan, did I break the warrior code by letting him escape?_

"Lightningfire," I heard Wolfshade meow from beside me.

I glanced over at him. Wolfshade was looking at me with a shadowed gaze. I couldn't read all of the emotions in his eyes, but I saw concern in them at least. I realized that I had been sinking my claws into the ground.

"I need to talk to you," I blurted out.

Wolfshade blinked at me.

I angled my ears and walked to the edge of camp, then a bit beyond that. Wolfshade followed as I led us all the way through the gorge, ending up at the edge of the forest, far out of any of our clan-mates' hearing. I stopped walking when we were under the trees, where I took a deep breath, bracing myself.

 _What if he hates me for letting Ripper go?_

I flinched, like I had been hit by a physical blow. That thought was almost enough to make me curl up and wail like a kit or run off into the forest, leaving Wolfshade behind.

"What is it Lightningfire?" Wolfshade said gently.

I made myself look over at him. He was watching me with the same unreadable expression on his face.

"I chased after Ripper last night," I meowed softly, the confession spilling out of me like rain from a storm cloud. "I caught up with him in the woods, and I told him that he had to come back with me… but after I talked with him, I ended up letting him go instead."

Wolfshade stared at me silently.

I looked down at my paws, the fur along my back prickling uncomfortably.

"I—I— I know that sounds terrible," I said. "And, I'm afraid I made a mistake. But, he had a lot of good points. And, what was Leafstar even going to do with him. Probably exile him anyways, right? I told him that he could never come back."

I clenched my jaw for a moment and looked back up at Wolfshade. He continued to stare silently over at me.

"Did I break the warrior code? Are you mad at me? Say something!" I said, flattening my ears.

Wolfshade glanced at the ground for a moment before raising his gaze back up to mine.

"I smelt your scent last night when we were following Ripper's scent trail," Wolfshade meowed.

I froze, my eyes widening.

"I don't think anyone else on the patrol gave it a second thought, even if they picked it up. But, I know you," Wolfshade said. "I know you wouldn't have just noticed Ripper was gone from his cave, and not tried to find him yourself."

I swallowed, watching Wolfshade's serious face.

"But," Wolfshade continued, his brow furrowing. "All you said was that you found Ravenfur and went straight to Leafstar, and you didn't even volunteer to be on the patrol to track him. So, when I picked up your scent in the woods, I knew something was up."

I shifted from paw to paw, suddenly unable to look Wolfshade in the eye.

"Why didn't you say something to me earlier?" I asked.

"I was waiting to see if you would say something first," Wolfshade meowed.

"And, I did," I meowed, forcing myself to meet his eyes. "So, do you hate me?"

"Hate you?" Wolfshade echoed, his eyes widening. "Of course not. I don't hate you, Lightningfire. Although I do think you're mouse-brained."

"Mouse-brained?" I meowed, the fur on my back rising defensively.

"You aren't Clan leader," Wolfshade said. "Ripper was the prisoner of the _Clan_ , not just of _you,_ so it's the leader of the Clan who decides what to do with him."

 _He's right._

I looked away from Wolfshade, shame making my pelt hot. Wolfshade was silent as I stared down at the ground.

I scuffed my paws in the dirt, thinking about Whisperheart, Iceshiver, and Tatteredtail, the other secret that I was keeping from the Clan. The secret of where they and Ripper came from, and how dangerous the cats there were.

 _But, I'm keeping that secret to protect them,_ I reminded myself.

 _To protect them from what? The rest of our clan-mates? Isn't that a little messed up?_ Another voice whispered in my head.

I shook my head, trying to silence it.

 _I care about Whisperheart, Iceshiver, and Tatteredtail,_ I argued back with myself. _I just want them to be safe. If there's no harm in keeping their secret, and it guarantees their safety, then why not keep it?_

 _Well if that is the case, then why did you let Ripper go?_ The other thought whispered in my head again. _Is it because a tiny part of you cares about him?_

"Do you like him?" Wolfshade blurted out, like he had been reading my mind.

I jerked up, looking over at Wolfshade with wide eyes.

"Ripper?! No! Of course not!" I meowed, my gaze scouring his to see if he believed me.

Wolfshade was watching me with an unusually hesitant expression on his face.

"I let him leave because I didn't—" I started to meow, my thoughts whirling as I desperately tried to explain myself. "I didn't think there was any harm in it. He's gone for good, and we owed him a debt for the herb that saved Echosong's life. He couldn't stay our prisoner indefinitely, and keeping him in camp wasn't really safe either. Now he's out of our fur forever."

Wolfshade shifted his weight on his paws, tail moving from side to side in an unsettled motion.

"Do you really think he's gone forever?" he asked.

I nodded vigorously, but I wasn't sure if I was trying so hard to convince him or myself.

"There's nothing for him here. He never wanted to end up in SkyClan territory in the first place," I said.

Wolfshade gave a single nod, before silently looking out into the forest.

My tail-tip twitched as I realized that he hadn't said anything in reply to my response that I didn't like Ripper.

 _Does he believe me?_

"Ripper may have helped us, and we owed him, but that doesn't automatically make him good cat," I meowed, drawing Wolfshade's gaze back to me.

I looked away then back over at Wolfshade.

"A cat like that—" I meowed, struggling for the right words.

I pawed at the air, gesturing helplessly.

"He wasn't—" I said.

Wolfshade gazed at me, and his dark green gaze shimmered, reminding me of a calm, deep, forest pool that had been suddenly violently disturbed by the splash of a large fish.

"I didn't like him, okay?" I said, the words bursting out of me. "There's only one cat I like and that's you."

Wolfshade's eyes widened in surprise, and the green, shaded, forest pool was suddenly still again. My ears pricked as I heard a soft purr starting to rumble in his chest.

"Do you believe me?" I asked.

"I believe you, Lightningfire," Wolfshade meowed softly.

I relaxed, tension draining from my shoulders.

"Good," I said.

I bowed my head, giving a sigh down towards my feet, the guilt still swirling uncomfortably in my stomach.

Wolfshade got to his paws, taking a few steps over to me. He touched his nose to mine, drawing my gaze back up. I met my eyes to his, and I felt a small prick of surprise at the gentleness I saw in them, burning softly in their dark green depths.

I swallowed, opening my mouth to say something more, but then he pulled his head back, and the moment ended.

I closed my mouth, feeling unsure of even what I had wanted to say in the first place.

"... Will you tell anyone that I let Ripper escape?" I meowed once I found my voice again.

Wolfshade shook his head.

"That is your story to tell, when you wish to tell it. Not mine," Wolfshade said mildly.

I nodded, my eyes flashing back down towards my paws.

"Thank you, Wolfshade," I said with a sigh. "Not just for not telling…"

My gaze flickered up to search his intently.

"For everything," I said softly.

Wolfshade inclined his head to me, watching me from the corner of his eyes.

"Of course," he said simply and with such certainty, like there had been no hesitation or doubt otherwise.

I rose to my paws, and Wolfshade mirrored my rising.

"I should head back to camp," I meowed. "I think Echosong will be needing me."

Wolfshade nodded in agreement.

"I'm taking Owlpaw out on the sun-high patrol," he meowed.

He led the way back to camp, and I padded a few steps behind him.

"I better make sure she's not still sleeping," Wolfshade added with a purr.

I purred in reply, but I felt a small twinge of sadness.

 _It's been almost a moon now since Owlpaw was first apprenticed. And, I've only acted as her mentor for half of that time._

I shook my head to shake myself out of the sadness like how I would shake water off my pelt.

 _Echosong is healing; soon I can return to my warrior duties, training Owlpaw included._

Feeling a bit more heartened, I quickened my pace, bringing myself even with Wolfshade's shoulder where I matched my pace with his. When we made it back into camp, he parted from me with a nod and a soft look.

I slipped into the medicine cat's den to see Echosong awake.

"Hello, how are you feeling?" I meowed, settling down beside her.

"Still weak," she meowed, her voice slightly raspy from disuse. "But, healing. That herb is a powerful plant."

I gave a nod, an image of Ripper flashing into my mind briefly.

"I'm glad you're healing," I meowed. "Now we just have to wait for you to fully recover your strength."

Echosong gave her head a small shake.

My pelt prickled uncomfortably down my back.

"What?" I asked, my voice a bit more demanding than I intended. "You don't think you'll recover your strength?"

"Yes. Well, no," Echosong meowed, her clear blue eyes piercing, "What I mean is, I just can't believe that I am alive at all, weak or not."

She gave her head another shake.

"I had resigned myself to death moons ago, when I first felt the disease clawing at my lungs, and when I saw that no herb treatment I tried for myself was working. And, when StarClan warned me of it…" Echosong's voice trailed off and she gave a feeble shrug. "I thought I would be walking among them soon."

Her intense blue eyes met mine again.

"But, you saved me, Lightningfire," Echosong said quietly.

I looked away, not liking the intensity in her eyes and behind her words.

"I did what any loyal clan member would do," I murmured. "I was just lucky enough to have received some training from you, so I wasn't completely clueless about what I was doing."

Echosong was quiet for a moment.

"You look tired, Lightningfire," she said finally.

I glanced back over at her.

"I didn't get much sleep last night, with Ripper's escape and watching over Ravenfur," I said.

"You should rest," Echosong meowed.

"I can't," I said with a sigh. "I wanted to stop by the nursery to see how Plumwillow is doing. You should see her, Echosong, those kits should be coming any day now. And, Patchfoot is still sore after pulling his shoulder yesterday. I told him to take it easy, but you know warriors never listen to that. So, I need to make sure the shoulder hasn't gotten inflamed. And, Tangle was complaining about aching joints earlier…"

"And, you'll be no good to any of them if you are dead on your paws," Echosong scolded lightly, but I saw a bit of amusement lighting in her blue eyes. "Take a nap, Lightningfire."

I opened my mouth to protest and ended up yawning instead.

"Alright," I conceded. "But, I'm going to at least fetch you some fresh-kill first."

Echosong's whiskers twitched, and a purr rumbled in the back of her throat.

"I think you've spent too long in this den," Echosong said. "You're starting to sound just as bossy as a medicine cat."

 _I have spent much too long in this den._

But, still, I purred at her comment, getting to my paws and lightly flicking Echosong's ear with my tail.

"I learned from the best," I quipped cheekily over my shoulder as I padded out of the den and towards the fresh-kill pile.

* * *

Author's Note:

Hi guys! I just wanted to let you know that I have posted a picture that I drew on my deviantart account of Lightningfire and Wolfshade as a sort of late 1 year story-anniversary present to you (and myself haha.) If you would like to see the picture, you can find it by doing a quick search for my deviantart account, which is the same name as this account (SedatedDreams.)


	60. Chapter 59: Dark Dreams

I twitched, my eyes snapping open.

I found myself standing in a very dark space. The ground felt cold and smooth under my paws as I breathed, looking out into the darkness. I slid my gaze from side to side, the fur on my back slowly rising as I could find no source of light in any direction.

 _Where am I?_

My breaths felt uncomfortably loud in my ears. Every inhale was a terrible rushing, ringing through my skull, mingling with the sound of my blood sloshing around as my heart pounded in my chest. I gave my head a sharp shake, like I could somehow dislodge the sounds of my own body. I crouched down, unsheathing my long claws to scrape them against the hard ground. The scratching noise was a welcome distraction from the sound of my ragged lungs and thumping heart. I bared my teeth, snarling into the abyss all around me, ready to fight or flee. But, there was nowhere to run but darkness, and there was nothing to fight but shadows.

Until a glimmer caught my eye a few fox-lengths in front of me.

First I saw only claws—eighteen, long, curved, gleaming, pearly-white claws, clicking against the hard ground as the cat stalked up to me. A familiar bitter and sharp scent tinged with the fainted hint of sweet citrus flooded over me. Then the rest of the body slowly became clear, the shadows slipping from the striped, scarred shoulders like how water would slip off the back of a sleek pelt. Ripper padded up to me, the rest of the shadows falling from him as he stood above my crouching form, tilting his head back to study me with bright orange eyes.

"Hello, beautiful," Ripper said, a gentle purr rasping in his throat. "Did you miss me?"

"What are you doing here?" I said through clenched teeth, my muscles tensing with anger and a bit of fear as I looked up at Ripper; somehow he seemed even bigger and stronger than I remembered him. "I told you to never return."

Ripper's ears flattened as he pouted for a moment.

"You mean you haven't missed me? Not even a little bit? I've missed you. I liked talking with you. We would have the most fascinating conversations, wouldn't we?" Ripper said.

"Stop it," I spat, lashing my tail. "Get out of here, Ripper. Now."

Ripper's whiskers twitched, a look of mild amusement on his face as he gazed down at me.

"Sorry Princess, but I can't go yet. I've still got some things that I need to take care of," Ripper said, nodding downward to indicate something in the darkness between me and him, right in front of my feet.

My brow furrowed. I risked looking away from him long enough to glance down at my paws.

I gasped, nearly tripping over my own feet as I recoiled.

Crash laid sprawled out on the ground in front of me. His pale, bloated tongue lolled from a gaping mouth. His eyes were grey and sightless as they stared up at nothing. Water dripped from his whiskers, and all of his fur was soaked through. He reeked of crow-food like he has been dead for moons, and his black-and-white pelt pulsated, wiggling from the movement of the maggots that twitched beneath the fur. Yet, the deep, jagged, red wounds that ran all down his neck and stomach looked fresh. Scarlet blood still poured from them, pooling on the ground around him, and creeping towards me in a small crimson river. And, as my gaze swept over the body I noticed his paws. In death Crash's claws were unsheathed, and at their ends clung a few clumps of pale brown fur.

I tore my horrified gaze away from Crash, and looked up at Ripper. I noticed a small patch of fur missing from his side for the first time, and the small droplets of blood welling in the scratch marks.

"This is your fault," I hissed.

Ripper tilted his head at me.

"It is. I did this. You already knew that; I told you," he said calmly.

"I—I—" I started to meow.

My voice died in my throat as I noticed another shape lying on the ground next to Ripper. It was Whisperheart, but her head was thrown way too far back, the angle of her neck all wrong. Her green eyes were dull and wide. Her dark ginger fur was ruffled and standing on end. And, her throat was slashed all the way open in a gaping red hole, from under one ear to the other, torn right through her old scar.

"No…" I rasped, staring at her small, broken form.

But, already more shapes were appearing around me.

I saw Iceshiver's pale silhouette next. Her spine appeared to be broken as she lay twisted on the floor a few fox-lengths away from me. Then I saw Tattertail's hulking shape, but even with his size and strength, he had been no match for debilitating gashes that ripped open his sides, spilling his intestines onto the ground.

I took a trembling step backwards, panting heavily.

More and more bodies were appearing.

There was the crumpled mass of Sharpclaw, his entire body covered in so many scratches that it was impossible to tell where blood stopped and ginger fur began. Then there was the more slender shape of Fallowfern. Her eyes were closed like she might be only sleeping, but the blood on the back of her skull from a kill-bite told a different story. A familiar brown tabby and cream pelt captured my gaze as I saw Leafstar appear, her blue eyes empty, but still as beautiful as always, even in death.

A whimper keened in my throat.

Brackenstorm's body sprawled at my mother's side, like his last act had been to try to save her. Rosekit and Wrenkit lay nearby, their paws tangled together, their small heads resting almost delicately in the pool of blood that surrounded them. Nightstorm came into existence not too far from me, his throat and stomach gleaming with blood. His green eyes still stared intently into mine like he had been trying to tell me one final plea.

Then, right by my side, another cat appeared. Wolfshade's pelt was dark and clumped with blood. His cool pine and mint scent was faint in my nose; it was all but masked by the hot, sticky reek of blood. Wounds covered him from nose to tail-tip, and he lay in a pool of blood just as big as all the other's. Yet, a laborious breath still rattled in his throat. Wolfshade's gaze flickered to mine. His green eyes searched mine desperately, like he was trying very hard to not look away. I stumbled over to him, feeling my own breath rasp unsteadily in my throat.

"Shade…" I whispered, my paws shaking so violently I could barely stand.

I crouched over him, reaching a trembling paw over to tenderly touch his cheek.

Wolfshade let out a soft sigh as his final breath left him, the light dimming from his green eyes.

I gasped, a choking noise grappling in my throat. I tore my gaze from Wolfshade and looked back over at Ripper.

Ripper was still standing in the same spot, watching me with very much the same mildly amused expression as before. Expect now his pelt was soaked in blood. Yet, only a few shallow scratches adorned his fur, making it clear that most of the blood was not his own.

"This is your fault," I repeated, my voice a rough croak in my throat. "You did this. You did all of this. _You monster!"_

Ripper tilted his head at me again, and amusement shone in his blisteringly bright, orange eyes once more.

"Oh no, Lightningfire," Ripper said in a deep voice, his meow becoming a low growl as he uttered my name. "Yes, I did this. But, this is _your fault._ "

My eyes snapped open as I gasped awake in my nest. My heart pounded as I swept my gaze frantically over the inside of medicine cat's den. Morning sunlight filtered in through the entrance of the den, lighting up the small piles of herbs that I had left by the wall to dry the night before. I could hear the quiet murmuring of my clan-mates from outside as the warriors prepared to go on their patrols. And, across the den, I could see the rise and fall of Echosong's silver tabby side as she slept in her nest, breathing steadily. I heaved in a deep breath and let it all back out in a long, slow sigh.

 _It was only a nightmare._

I dropped my chin back down to my paws, my shoulders shaking in relief.

 _Thank StarClan._

Once it no longer felt like my heart was about to beat out of my chest, I rose to my paws, gave myself a quick grooming, and padded out of the den to start the day.

Several days had passed now since Ripper's escape, and things in camp were normal, if maybe a bit tense. This morning the camp was quiet, not many other cats were awake yet, and a light summer fog hung over the gorge as I padded through camp. The fog offered a welcome, cool touch to my still hot and uncomfortable pelt; the remnants of the dream continued to cling to my fur and my mind like a stubborn cobweb. I glanced up at the sky, wondering when the green-leaf sun would come out and burn the fog away.

My ear twitched back at a clattering noise, and I turned to see Sharpclaw bounding down the trail from the warriors' den, knocking small pebbles down the cliff with his big paws, his powerful muscles bunching and flexing under his short dark ginger pelt. I relaxed, letting out a soft sigh. Despite knowing that it was all a dream, it was still a relief to see the deputy alive and well with my own eyes.

"Lightningfire," Sharpclaw said in greeting, inclining his head to me in a polite sort of gesture.

I blinked in surprise at that odd nod of respect.

"Hello," I meowed.

"How is Echosong doing?" he asked, settling down beside me.

I glanced up at the tall warrior beside me, and I realized with a small jolt that he was treating me with the same quiet reverence that he would treat Echosong, a medicine cat with.

 _Best to put an end to that as quickly as possible._

"She is still frail, but she gets stronger everyday," I meowed. "I'm sure she will be recovered enough soon to return to her duties, and I can return to mine. As a warrior."

Now it was Sharpclaw's turn to look slightly surprised.

"I see…" he said in his deep mew, studying me curiously out of the corner of his bright green eye before looking out into camp.

 _You see… what?_

I wanted to grill the deputy on what he meant. What cats were saying, or what rumors were going around about my status as a warrior.

But, I knew the stern deputy would not appreciate being interrogated, so I bit my tongue and remained silent. More cats were trickling into camp now, in a sluggish, sleepy stream. There were a couple of bright-eyed warriors who seemed eager to start the day, Sagewhisker among them. He was always infuriatingly cheerful in the morning.

I purred quietly to myself at that thought.

"Lightningfire," Sharpclaw said, rising to his paws and nodding to me once more, his farewell identical to his greeting.

The deputy padded over to greet the gathering group of warriors, sorting them into the patrols for the day. I looked over at them and sighed, wishing that I could be among them. In the crowd, I spotted Wolfshade's ruffled grey fur. His shoulders were hunched, and he watched the deputy talk with a glazed sleepy expression in his eyes. He looked like he hadn't had time to groom his pelt yet, and it stood up in fluffy spikes down his back, making him look amusingly like the downy Owlpaw, who stood at his side, her long pelt in similar disarray. I noticed she was leaning against Wolfshade's broad side, her eyes half-lidded like she was trying to take a discreet cat-nap on her paws.

I felt a twinge deep in my heart as I imagined me on Owlpaw's other side, swallowing back yawns as I listened to Sharpclaw's deep, droning voice. Then me, her, and Wolfshade heading off on patrol together, wakefulness creeping over us as the fresh scents of prey rushed in our noses and the cheerful rustle of the leaves above us sang in our ears. I saw myself turn as we walked to flatten that unruly patch of fur on Wolfshade's shoulder with my tongue, and I saw his bright eyes as I pulled my head back and heard the deep purr that rumbled in his throat.

I blinked, pulling myself back out of the daydream. The warriors were dispersing. I saw Wolfshade and Owlpaw heading off on a patrol with Lionclaw, Nightstorm, and Ebonyclaw. I watched them go, longing still tugging at my heart.

 _Soon._ I promised myself, rising to my paws.

XXXXXXXXX

As I went about my duties for the day, taking care of Echosong and organizing the herbs, the dream from last night still lingered in my mind. The blood soaked horror of it was not easy to forget.

 _Would Ripper really kill so many cats like that?_ I wondered as my paws sorted herbs automatically, hooking out old leaves with my claws and tossing them aside.

 _We are low on bitter-root,_ I noticed. _I will have to go gather some more soon._

At the thought of bitter-root, an image of Ripper appeared in my mind. I studied his scarred pelt and his bright orange eyes, and the dark secrets that he hide beneath the sarcasm and defiance in his gaze.

 _He spent almost a moon with us, but there is still so much I don't know about him._

I thought about the city cats. The cats who Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver tried so hard to escape, and the cats that Ripper returned to. The cats who were so terrible that Tatteredtail and Iceshiver had locked them in the past, and not a single word about them have passed their lips. The cats that slashed open the throat of Whisperheart when she was a kit, for no other crime than crying too loudly.

I shuddered.

No, perhaps I didn't know much about the city cats. But, the little I did know about them told me that any cat which willingly returned to that life must be just a terrifying as the rest of them are.

But, even at that final, concluding thought, a tiny bit of doubt trickled in. I had seen a sliver of kindness in Ripper… that I could not deny. The kindness that showed me the herb that saved the life of our medicine cat. The kindness of doing something for someone with no real benefit for himself. And, it was because of that sliver of kindness in him that I was compelled to stand aside and let him leave.

 _Who are you?_ I asked the image of Ripper in my mind.

The image of Ripper smirked at me, his orange eyes sparkling knowingly, but he did not reply.

I was surprised to find it was sunset by the time I had finished my chores and musings, and I was starving, having not eaten all day. I padded out into camp and towards the fresh-kill pile. As the sun set, I crouched by Rockpile, enjoying the last of it's dying rays as I quickly scarfed down a small shrew. Then a cry echoed across camp from the nursery. I tensed.

 _Oh StarClan, is someone hurt?_

I quickly stumbled to my paws, when I saw Rosekit's head poke out of the nursery entrance. She came barreling down the trail into camp, nearly tripping over her own long fur as she ran.

"Lightningfire!" Rosekit meowed. "Plumwillow needs you!"

"What's wrong?" I demanded to my sister, overtaking her with my longer legs and barreling up the cliff.

"I think she's started kitting," Rosekit panted, struggling to keep up.

"Plumwillow?" I meowed as I slipped into the dark nursery.

Wrenkit was standing in a nest by the entrance, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"She's back there," he meowed, flicking his tail to indicate a shadowy nest the back of the den.

"Lightningfire?" Plumwillow called.

I was relieved to hear that her voice sounded strong, if a bit strained. I padded to the back of the den as Rosekit made it to the entrance and took a seat next to Wrenkit. Plumwillow lay on her side, panting lightly.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

Plumwillow nodded her sleek, dark grey head.

"I just didn't think it would hurt so much," she said with a small forced purr. "I'm glad you're here now."

"Everything will be fine," I meowed automatically, my voice sounding soothing, but on the inside I felt myself tensing.

 _I have no idea how to deliver kits. What in StarClan's name do I do?_

Plumwillow grunted softly, and I watched a wave of contractions pass over her body, ruffling her soft, short grey fur.

"I'm going to run down to the medicine cat's den to grab some herbs," I meowed to Plumwillow. "I'll be back in two swishes of a tail, I promise."

Plumwillow nodded, relaxing as the contraction faded.

"Be quick," she said, and I saw a tiny bit of fear shining in her amber eyes under the brave face she was wearing.

I nodded, touching my tail tip to her shoulder reassuringly before turning around and running out of the den. I dashed down the cliffside as quickly as my paws could carry me, heading straight to the medicine cat's den.

"Plumwillow's kits are coming," I panted, bounding into the medicine cat's den and towards the sleeping form of Echosong. "Quick, I need your help Echosong. I don't know what to do."

Echosong blinked up at me from her nest.

"I don't think I'm strong enough to make the climb up to the nursery," Echosong said, clearing her throat. "You can do this, Lightningfire."

"I'm not a medicine cat," I pointed out, still breathing rather quickly. "What if something goes wrong or—"

"Lightningfire," Echosong said, a surprisingly stern voice coming out of her fragile frame. "First, find an experienced queen like Clovertail or Fallowfern or even your mother to help you. And, _don't panic._ If Plumwillow sees you stressed, then it won't make this kitting any easier. Plumwillow is young, strong, and healthy. I'm sure all will go smoothly. And, remember, I will be right down here if you need anything."

"Alright. Alright," I said, nodding my head quickly.

I took a deep breath, bracing myself.

"What first… Herbs… um…" I meowed, my gaze sweeping frantically over the many plants in the storage.

"Chervil. Have her eat a couple of leaves of chervil," Echosong said. "And, bring her a stick to bite down on when the contractions get really bad."

"Chervil, okay," I meowed.

I rushed to the store, grabbing a couple of the wide, green leaves.

"I'll get a stick too," I said, mumbling around the herbs in my mouth.

I walked quickly out of the den, snatching an appropriate looking stick from one of the bushes that grew near the entrance of the medicine cat's den on my way. I hurried back up to the nursery. I brushed passed my siblings and headed to the back of the den to Plumwillow.

"Here, eat these," I meowed, dropping the leaves of chervil in front of Plumwillow.

"Rosekit, Wrenkit, I need you to do me a favor," I meowed at my siblings over my shoulder while Plumwillow lapped up the herbs. "Go to the warriors den and fetch Fallowfern for me. Tell her that Plumwillow and I need her in the nursery."

"Okay!" Wrenkit meowed.

Rosekit nodded and the two of them went bounding out of the den, eager to have a task to perform.

I turned back to Plumwillow.

"You're doing great," I said supportively.

"Thanks," she said, panting. "Although, I don't really know _what_ I'm doing."

 _Me neither._

I decided it would be best to keep that thought to myself.

"I have this stick," I said to Plumwilllow, touching the branch with my paw. "That you can bite down on when the contractions are bad."

"Okay," she said.

Another contraction rippled across her body. Plumwillow tensed, clenching her jaw against a keening cry that rose in her throat.

I shuffled my paws, my tail-tip twitching a bit restlessly, but I resisted the urge to stand up and pace anxiously.

 _I wish there was more that I could do for her_.

I watched Plumwillow take a shaky breath of relief as the contraction faded, and she closed her eyes to rest for a moment.

 _But, this is a battle that queens must fight alone._

"I'm here," a voice said from behind me.

I turned to see Fallowfern entering the den.

She bounded over to me and Plumwillow, bending her muzzle to nuzzle the top of Plumwillow's head reassuringly.

"I told Rosekit and Wrenkit to stay in the warrior's den for now," Fallowfern meowed to me.

"Mom?" Plumwillow meowed, her eyes flickering open.

She seemed very young for a heartbeat, like she was still a kit herself, seeking comfort from her mother.

"Yes," Fallowfern said soothingly, her attention snapping back to Plumwillow. "And, soon your kits will be born, and you'll be a mom yourself."

Plumwillow relaxed a bit at her words. I blinked at Fallowfern, trying to convey my relief that she was here, but her eyes were only for Plumwillow. Fallowfern stroked Plumwillow's flank with her tail.

"You look good," Fallowfern meowed encouragingly.

 _I think Plumwillow seems uncomfortable and in pain, but I suppose I don't know much about births._

Plumwillow winced.

"I feel another contraction coming," she said through gritting teeth.

"Here, take the stick," I said, pushing it towards her muzzle, eager to help in any way I could.

Plumwillow took the stick into her mouth, biting down hard with a growl as a powerful contraction stormed through her sides. As it slowly faded, Plumwillow panted around the stick in her jaws.

"That was a strong one," Fallowfern meowed. "The kits are ready to come. Push on the next contraction."

Plumwillow nodded, her face creased in concentration. The next contraction came quickly. Once again it ravaged across Plumwillow's body, but this time, instead of fighting through it, Plumwillow pushed with it. A small, wet bundle fell onto the nest, which Fallowfern was quick to scoop up, while Plumwillow sagged down with exhaustion, her eyes half lidded.

I watched as Fallowfern nipped through the thin sack surrounding the kit and began to lick it clean by ruffling its fur the wrong way. The kit started to cry and wiggle almost immediately as Fallowfern continued to roughly lick its dark, charcoal-grey and fiery-ginger tortoiseshell pelt.

Plumwillow jerked back to alertness at the sound of her kit's cries.

"What's going on?" she demanded, quickly trying to raise her head to see her kit.

"Shh, Plumwillow," Fallowfern soothed. "You have a healthy daughter."

Plumwillow relaxed as she caught sight of her kit, and her gaze softened.

"She's beautiful," Plumwillow said with a gasp of wonder.

Plumwillow's gasp became a grunt as another contraction rippled through her flanks.

"You're not done yet," Fallowfern said. "Another kit is coming."

"Alright," Plumwillow said, panting and taking the stick back into her mouth.

Fallowfern placed the tiny tortoiseshell kit at my paws.

"Keep licking her fur like I was to warm her up," Fallowfern instructed.

I nodded and bent my head down towards the kit. I ruffled her fur with my tongue, brushing it backwards. The kit wiggled, mewing in protest, and I caught a strong whiff of her scent. She smelt sweet and new. For a moment, a strange longing swept over me, and I wondered what it would be like to have tiny kits of my own, with little ginger or brown tabby fur… or a deep grey pelt.

I was snapped out of my short day-dream by Plumwillow's cry as she had another contraction. She seemed to strain a bit harder this time as the next kit was born. Again, Fallowfern moved with rapid speed to pick up the kit. She rasped her tongue quickly down its grey pelt repeatedly. But, unlike the loudly crying tortoiseshell she-kit at my paws, the grey kit was oddly silent. Plumwillow was lying limply on her side, panting quickly. She made no effort this time to raise her head to try to see her kit. Another contraction rippled across her belly and she grunted, but faintly, like she felt it but only from a far distance.

"Lightningfire," Fallowfern hissed to me in a quiet, urgent voice.

"What's going wrong?" I said in reply, my voice a worried whisper and my heart pounding a bit frantically in my chest. "Is that kit okay? And, what is happening to Plumwillow?"

"This kit is weak," Fallowfern meowed quickly and quietly between her rapid licks, her face creased with worry. "And, Plumwillow is exhausted and fading fast. But, I think she still has one more kit left. I can't leave this little one."

Fallowfern glanced down at the grey kit at her paws

"You need to rouse her and have her push one last time," she continued. "You saw what I did to nip the sack around the kit?"

I nodded, swallowing hard.

"Good," she said with a sharp nod of approval. "Put the little she-kit by Plumwillow. She's fine."

I carried the tortoiseshell kit to Plumwillow, leaving Fallowfern with the now quietly whimpering grey kit. I gazed down at Plumwillow, doing my best to swallow back my rising panic.

"Plumwillow," I meowed, nudging her shoulder with my muzzle.

She stirred faintly.

"Plumwillow!" I said in a louder voice.

She twitched again, but her eyes still didn't open. I dug my claws into the mossy nest, a feeling of helplessness sweeping over me.

 _I can't do this. I'm not a medicine cat!_

I gave my head a hard shake.

 _No! I have to do this!_

"Plumwillow, wake up!" I said sternly. "Bouncefire didn't fight three badgers just for you to give up like this! He would want you to be strong!"

Plumwillow's ear twitched. And, her eyes flickered open, her amber gaze rising up to meet mine.

"There is one more kit left," I meowed. "I need you to push as hard as you can on this next contraction. Can you do that for me?"

Plumwillow nodded, like she didn't have the strength left to speak.

"Good," I said, watching her flank tense as another contraction started to begin. "Ready? Now!"

Plumwillow yowled as the final kit was born. I moved almost instinctually to pick up the kit, nipping through the sack surrounding it but being careful not to nip the tiny kit itself. I started to lick its bright ginger fur, rubbing it the wrong way. The kit was a little tom, and he started to cry, wiggling strongly against my muzzle, and I felt a surge of relief that he was alright. I looked up at Plumwillow. She was lying in the nest, her eyes closed with the tortoiseshell kit at her belly. She seemed exhausted, but her breathing was easier and deeper now that her kitting was done.

 _I think she'll be okay too._

I sighed, another wave of relief washing over me and leaving me feeling weak at my knees. I glanced back over at Fallowfern. My gaze met Fallowfern's, and she shook her head, a quiet sadness in her eyes. My gaze fell to the tiny grey kit at her paws, which was lying there much too stilly.

"My kit?" Plumwillow rasped from behind me.

I turned back to her, carrying over the ginger male. I placed him at her belly next to the tortoiseshell, and one of Plumwillow's eyes cracked open.

"A tom," I meowed quietly.

A soft purr rumbled in Plumwillow's throat as she strained her head up for a moment to look at him.

"He looks just like Bouncefire," she murmured, letting her head fall back down to the soft nest with a sigh of exhaustion.

Plumwillow glanced up at me out of the corner of her eye.

"And, the other one?" she asked.

I hesitated.

"She didn't make it," Fallowfern meowed softly from behind me.

Plumwillow tensed. I gazed down at her in silence, my heart quietly breaking for the young mother.

"… Can I see her?" Plumwillow meowed finally in a soft voice.

Fallowfern carried the tiny grey kit over to Plumwillow, lying her down on the nest in front of Plumwillow. Plumwillow gave her a gentle nudge with her muzzle, breathing in sweet, new scent for the first and the last time. Plumwillow closed her eyes, taking a trembling breath. She lovingly licked the tiny grey kit's head.

"Springkit," she said in a quiet voice. "I wish I had more time with you, but I know your father will take good care of you. I will see you and him again one day, little one."

I bowed my head, feeling terrible grief for Plumwillow swirling in my chest.

Plumwillow pulled her head back slowly from her kit, like she was reluctant to leave her. But, she did, turning her face towards her two healthy kits, and she bent her head to gently lick them. Fallowfern stepped forward again, gently picking up the tiny Springkit. Fallowfern walked over to me, carrying her.

"I'm going to go bury her," Fallowfern meowed to me softly. "Plumwillow is out of danger now, but will you stay with her while I'm gone? I don't want to leave her alone yet."

I nodded.

"Yeah," I meowed in a rasping voice.

Fallowfern left the den, and I walked closer to Plumwillow to sit at her side. I was quiet, watching Plumwillow clean her new kits while they nursed at her belly. I didn't want to say anything, afraid I would upset her.

"Thank you for being here, Lightningfire, and helping me," Plumwillow said quietly.

"Yes, of course," I meowed in reply.

"I think I want to name her Hazelkit," Plumwillow said softly, looking at the tortoiseshell.

She glanced at the ginger male.

"And, him Maplekit," she said.

I nodded.

"Those are good names," I said. "I like them."

Plumwillow purred softly, gazing down at her little Hazelkit and Maplekit. Meanwhile, I gazed over at Plumwillow, wondering how it was possible that in the course of one night, someone could be so happy and so sad at the same time.


	61. Chapter 60: Exhaustion

It was long into the night by the time I stumbled back into the medicine cat's den. I blinked hard as I padded into the cave, doing my best to battle back the exhaustion that tugged at every inch of my pelt. Echosong stirred when she heard me bumbling to my nest.

"How was it?" she asked.

"Plumwillow is sleeping now, with two healthy kits," I meowed, sitting heavily down in my nest.

"That's great—" Echosong started to say.

"But, there was one weak kit. She barely took a breath before we lost her," I continued, cutting her off.

Echosong paused. Then she let out a sad, quiet sigh.

"Those things do happen…" Echosong meowed softly.

"Springkit wouldn't have died if you had been there," I said, shooting Echosong a cutting look. "It was my fault that she died."

Echosong shook her head.

"Sometimes there is nothing that you can do, Lightningfire," Echosong said. "Some kits just don't have the strength to make it into this world."

"What's the point of me knowing all of these things about herbs and healing if I can't save my clan-mates?" I demanded, glaring at Echosong, my voice steadily rising. "Hasn't Plumwillow suffered enough? She already lost her mate, did she have to lose a daughter too?"

"You seem exhausted Lightningfire," Echosong meowed, her voice soothing. "Why don't you go to sleep. You can have some thyme to calm you if you want"

"Oh now you decide to act like a medicine cat," I said scathingly. "I know what thyme does, Echosong."

Echosong regarded me in that calm way that she has, and I felt a bit of guilt prickle down my spine as I realized how rude and grumpy I was being.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, my tail-tip twitching. "It's been a long night."

I curled up in my nest without another word, and I closed my eyes, letting the darkness wash over me.

I didn't sleep for long. I twitched in my nest, my sleep restless. My dreams were confusing and fragmented. I saw glimpses of crying kits and bleeding clan-mates. I rushed to them, my mouth full of herbs and cobwebs. I pressed them to wounds, trying to stem flows of blood a soothe wounds.

I flinched awake in the morning sunlight. I stumbled to my paws, not wanting to face anymore dreams about my suffering friends.

 _I should get out of camp. That will clear my head._

I looked around the den, my gaze scanning the herb storage. I noticed our dwindling supply of bitter-root. It looked like I only had enough for one more dose.

 _I'll get more bitter-root._

Decided, I turned towards the entrance of the den. I walked around Echosong and padded out.

My steps were slow as I walked through camp, the exhaustion from last night still raw.

"Lightningfire! Lightningfire!" Owlpaw called, bouncing over to me.

I turned, my ears pricking up a bit at the sight of my apprentice.

"Do you think we can do some training together today? Adderpaw is going on a hunting patrol! Can we go with him? Please?" she asked, excitedly shifting from paw to paw.

I felt a surge of regret, and I gave a tired sigh, shaking my head.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go gather more bitter-root," I said.

Owlpaw's face fell, her whiskers drooping as the excitement seemed to drain out of her all at once.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" she asked.

"You can come gather the herbs with me," I suggested.

Owlpaw gave a frustrated tail twitch.

"I don't want to pick leaves. I want to _hunt_ ," she said, glaring at me insolently.

I opened my mouth to scold her, but I shut my mouth again before I could say anything.

 _It's not Owlpaw's fault that I'm exhausted. Or, that I have trouble spending finding enough time to train her while Echosong's sick._

"Alright. We can go on the patrol," I said, making a snap decision.

"Yay!" Owlpaw shouted, bouncing around.

"But, I've still got to gather the herbs. Do you think you can handling hunting alone for a bit?" I said.

"Definitely!" Owlpaw said, her yellow eyes bright. "I'll catch so much prey, Lightningfire, you won't be able to believe it!"

"Good," I said with a soft purr.

I spotted Adderpaw with his mentor Egg at the edge of camp. Wolfshade was with him, and I saw Ebonyclaw also heading over to join the patrol. Owlpaw and I walked over to them.

"Mind if we join you?" I asked Egg.

"Oh, sure!" he meowed brightly. "Are you sure that it's okay for you to leave Echosong though? Isn't she still sick?"

I bristled slightly at the question. For a heartbeat it felt like Egg disapproved of me leaving camp, but I could see that the cream-colored tom was just curious and meant nothing by it.

"She'll be fine," I said mildly. "I need to go out and get more bitter-root for her anyways."

"Alright," Egg said, getting to his paws and waving his tail to indicate for us to gather together. "Let's get going then!"

We padded out of camp and through the gorge at the leisurely pace set by Egg. Owlpaw and Adderpaw were at the front of the patrol, it seemed like both young apprentices were holding back as to not dash forward and out pace the rest of the patrol. Wolfshade padded over to my side, silently matching his pace to mine. I glanced over at him, and he looked back, his eyes sparkling playfully.

"It's been so long, sure that you remember how to hunt?" he teased.

"I could hunt even if I had all four paws chopped off," I retorted, speaking around the soft purr that had started to rumble in my throat.

"If you say so," Wolfshade meowed, whiskers twitching in amusement.

We headed into the forest, and the scents of prey on the breeze flooded over me. I breathed the smells in greedily, excitement surging through my pelt, chasing away the exhaustion. Stronger than the other scents was the earthy scent of squirrel, wafting over on the warm, gentle breeze.

"I've got the squirrel!" I meowed, splitting off from Wolfshade and the other cats, bounding eagerly ahead, feeling as giddy as an apprentice on her first hunting patrol.

Tracking the scent, I slipped under a patch of ferns, falling easily into my hunting crouch. The comfort of the familiar movement felt like meeting an old friend after being apart for a while.

 _This is what I'm made to do._

I took a deep breath of the warm, green-leaf air, the scent of the squirrel strong on my tongue. I stalked forward, stretching muscles that have spent too many sunrises in disuse. I crept around a patch of bracken, and I spotted the squirrel a few fox-lengths away near the roots of an old oak tree. My paws moving over the leaf-littered forest floor soundlessly, I glided forward, resisting the urge to purr in delight at the thrill of the hunt. The squirrel stood no chance. The wind was in my favor, and neither could he hear me coming. I sprung without hesitation, my paws striking the back of the squirrel. The squirrel began to let out a squeak, but it was cut off when I sunk my jaws into the back of its neck and jerked my head to the side, snapping its neck.

I pulled my head back, swiping my tongue over my lips, the sweet, salty tang of the prey's blood warm in my mouth. I bent my head and picked the squirrel back up, carrying it to a nearby bush where I stashed it under. I trotted back to the rest of the hunting patrol, self-satisfaction warming my pelt.

Wolfshade swept his gaze over me as I brushed through the bracken.

"I don't see a squirrel," he teased, his tail-tip twitching playfully.

"I got it!" I replied in a mock indignant voice. "I just hid it under a brush."

"Sure… that's what they all say," Wolfshade said through a purr.

"Hey, well it doesn't look like you caught anything while I was gone," I said, eyeing him critically.

Wolfshade shook his head.

"Well, you're wrong," he said, putting on a serious look. "I caught twenty mice and ten sparrows and hid them all under bushes."

I purred, rolling my eyes and flicking his good ear with my tail-tip. Pulling my attention away from Wolfshade, I lifted my head to scent the air for more prey. Although the forest was ripe with faint scents, there was nothing near enough for me to trace it's direction.

"Let's head to the stream," I suggested. "There's sure to be some water voles sunning themselves on the shore, and I have to go pick some bitter-root from over there too."

"Good idea, Lightningfire," Egg said, angling us in that direction.

As we made it to the stream, our patrol disbursed around the bank. Wolfshade stalked off into a bush, eyes trained on a twitching leaf that smelt of mouse. Ebonyclaw went farther upstream. Adderpaw and Owlpaw went off together towards a pile of rocks and Egg supervised them, studying the apprentices' hunting techniques. I split off from the others to head a bit more downstream, to the boulder where I knew the bitter-root grew.

I padded over to the large rock, enjoying the feeling of the warm sun on my back. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting out a quiet purr.

 _I would like nothing more than to curl up on a smooth rock and take a nap in the sunshine._

I opened my eyes, taking a quiet, deep breath. I could rest after I gathered the bitter-root and brought it back for Echosong. Maybe I could sleep on Rockpile with the sound of the stream bubbling in my ears, keeping the turmoil of the nightmares in my head at bay.

I sprung up onto the boulder and looked down into the crack. I gasped at the sight that greeted me. The large patch of bitter-root that I had left growing, untouched last time I was here, had been destroyed. The blue flowers were crushed, the soil churned from the roots being dug up. There was nothing alive besides a few sad stalks, stripped bare of their leaves.

 _What could have done this?!_

An image of a prey animal, a water vole perhaps, came to mind as I imagined it rooting around, munching happily on the plant and its terribly bitter roots. But, then the image changed in my head, and instead, I saw Ripper stalking over here in the dead of night as he escaped our territory, taking a moment to linger to tear up the plants with his long, hooked claws.

I gazed down at the ruin, feeling angry and hollow at the helplessness of the situation.

 _Maybe there is another patch that grows somewhere. Maybe Echosong is better enough now that she doesn't even need the herbs anymore…_

I was interrupted from my worried musings when a shadow suddenly fell over me, abruptly blocking out the sun. I tilted my head up, squinting at the odd, dark and indistinct shape in the sky.

"What's that?" I heard Adderpaw ask.

I took my eyes off the shadow long enough to see him prod Owlpaw, and look up at the strange thing in the sky.

I glanced back up at the shadow, studying it carefully, noticing it getting larger as it came closer. My blood ran cold as I finally made out its shape, recognizing the massive wings, the fierce talons, the curved beak.

My fur began to rise.

The rest of the patrol was also gazing curiously at the sky, but it was Egg's gaze that first widened in recognition and terror. Before I could say anything, he leapt to his paws.

 _"RUN!"_

His panicked screech echoed throughout the patrol. For a moment the words hung still in the air and everyone was motionless. Then we turned tail and obeyed, running as fast as our paws could take us back up stream.

A scream ripped through the air from the beak of the eagle, raising the fur on the back of my neck as ice-cold fear jabbed a long claw into my heart, turning my mouth as dry as sand. I was behind everyone else, but I bent down, streamlining my body as I poured all of my strength into my legs. I kept an eye an Owlpaw and Adderpaw as I caught up, coming from the end of the group to Wolfshade's side, where I stayed matching my pace with his. As the trees flashed past, I realized we were headed towards our gorge. I raised my voice between laborious pants.

"Shelter in the caves of the cliff!" I yowled.

I saw Ebonyclaw's ears twitch in acknowledgement from the front of the patrol and she angled our flight towards the caves.

But, a chill ran through me as I realized that we were leading the eagle right to the camp.

 _What if there are kits are playing outside?_

Horror shot through me as I thought of the eagle catching sight of Rosekit or Wrenkit.

But, it was too late to change our direction now. We were close. I risked a glance over my shoulder. The eagle loomed ever closer, only a few fox-lengths above the ground, its huge wings pounding through the air. A shudder ran through my shoulders. It was too close. We wouldn't make it.

I curled my lip, steeling myself.

 _"Faster!"_ I screamed, sending my clan-mates propelling forward with all the strength they could manage.

I locked my legs, coming to a skidding stop. Unsheathing my claws, I crouched down, whirling around to face the eagle. I saw its sharp eyes snap to me, just as I hoped. It angled its wings down, deciding I was the easiest target.

I wracked my brain, images flashed in my mind the times I've seen eagles hunting. How they grab with their talons, then drive their beak into the back of the neck, killing in one smooth motion.

 _Claws hit first, then beak._

The eagle folded its wings, spiraling down for the kill.

Someone screamed my name.

I dropped my shoulder just before its claws struck, rolling out of the way. The eagle's talons hit the ground empty, finding only dirt. I was already twisting to avoid the beak, but I was a fraction of a moment too slow. It's razor edge sliced down my shoulder, causing me to cry out. I ignored the pain and leapt before it could strike again.

The eagle buffered its massive wings, but I was already above it. I twisted expertly and landed right on its back, just like I would have done when fighting a cat larger than me. Giving a deep growl, I dug my claws into its sleek, slippery feathers.

The massive bird twisted and screamed, wings pounding in an attempt to take off, but I was too heavy. I weighed it down from its back, perched out of reach of its beak and claws. I lunged my head down and sunk my fangs deeply into the back of its neck. The salty taste of blood flooded my mouth as I felt a snap between my teeth as its spine severed in my jaws. The huge bird buckled under me, and we fell to the ground in a pile of blood, fur and feathers.

Panting hard, I shakily stumbled to my paws, the still-twitching eagle beneath me. My chest heaved for breath and the slash on my shoulder burned, prompting me to lift my entire left foreleg off of the ground to ease the pain. A small noise captured my attention. My gaze slowly drifted up from the eagle to see Wolfshade standing before me, eyes wide, ears back, shock plain on his scarred face.

It finally processed in my mind that it had been Wolfshade's voice that called my name right before the eagle attacked.

"What are you doing? I had told you to run," I said, my voice coming out hoarse between pants.

"I noticed you stopped, so I did too. I turned and saw the eagle hit you, then you kill it. I was going to help, but it all happened so fast," he meowed, blinking hard at me.

"Well it's a good thing you didn't," I said with an annoyed growl, stumbling off the bird. "I wanted all of you to get to safety. I had enough to worry about with trying to keep myself alive. It would have distracted me if I had to worry about you too."

Wolfshade's green eyes flashed bright with anger, the shock fading from them.

"You don't have to worry about me. I'm a warrior. I can take care of myself," he growled back.

"I'm in love with you!" I snapped, the fur on my shoulders rising. "Of course I have to worry about you!"

My eyes widened as the words I just said processed in my head, and I immediately regretted them.

They wouldn't have come out if my paws weren't trembling with exhaustion. And, if blood wasn't dripping out of my shoulder. And, if I hadn't almost died.

Wolfshade stood silently in front of me.

My fur flushed with heat.

"I'm sorry—" I began to mutter.

"That was a really brave thing you did," Wolfshade meowed quietly, cutting me off, his demeanor softening. "That eagle was close. It would have gotten us while we were running if you hadn't turned to face it."

He looked at me with a gentle gaze.

"Thank you. You saved us," he said softly.

I saw the beady black eyes of the eagle in my mind again.

"There could have been kits out at the camp. Or elders. Or apprentices. Or queens," I whispered. "I couldn't let them get hurt."

Wolfshade nodded silently, keeping his gaze trained on mine.

We were both quiet for a moment.

"...Will you help me back to camp? I don't think I can make it myself," I meowed, suddenly swallowing back a powerful emotion that made my voice tremble.

My paws shook beneath me. As the excitement from the battle wore off, my exhaustion caught back up to me, rushing over me all at once.

Wolfshade didn't reply. He simply moved to my non-injured side. I leaned heavily against him, and we stumbled along for a few paw steps before I stopped, standing on violently shaking paws, my vision blurry and my head spinning.

"I don't think I can—" I started to meow, when I suddenly felt myself being lifted off my paws, a warm, strong body beneath me.

Wolfshade turned his head back, putting his face very close to mine. He shifted, balancing me across his back and broad shoulders.

"I have you, Lightningfire," he assured. His breath was warm against my cheek and his sweet scent wreathed around me like a soothing blanket. "Let's get you back to camp."

I nodded, feeling myself grow very tired. I let Wolfshade's familiar scent lull me to into the soft embrace of sleep.

Darkness filled my vision. My paws pounded against the ground as I sprinted, eyes wide, trying fruitlessly to see anything at all. My clan mate's wails filled my ears, growing steadily louder. I recognized Wolfshade's, Owlpaw's, Nightstorm's, Rosekit's, and Wernkit's voices among the cries.

"No!" I yowled, throwing myself forward.

Suddenly light blazed to life in front of me. I came to a skidding stop, my path blocked by a wall of fire. Thunder and storm noises rumbled in my ears and the warmth of the fire stung my face.

I flinched back. Through the flames, I could see my clan-mates, battling valiantly against unidentifiable shadow-cats. I snarled, helplessly held back by the wall of fire.

A voice whispered in my ear, raising the fur on the back of my neck.

 _Lightning sears and scorches all in its path. Deafening thunder will rip through the Sky. But, peace will come in the sunrise after the storm._

I curled my lip back and crouched down, gathering my haunches beneath me. Then, I leapt up, springing through the flames. The fire licked my fur, but I didn't feel the heat. I landed safely on the other side, charging forward to fight along side my clan-mates.

My eyes blinked open and I found myself in the medicine cat den. My head throbbed and the cut on my shoulder ached. I tried to stumble to my paws, but I came to my feet swaying, almost falling over.

"Easy!" Wolfshade meowed, coming to my side.

"Try not to sit up so quickly," he said, nudging me back down into my nest.

"The two slashes on your shoulder are shallow" Echosong meowed. "You didn't lose too much blood, so I think you just passed out from exhaustion."

I was surprised to see the medicine cat standing above me. She looked frail, but she had taken it upon herself to bandage the wounds on my shoulder anyways.

"I had the strangest dream," I meowed, blinking hard up at her and Wolfshade.

I closed my eyes, grasping to recall the words from the already fading vision. It swept back over me like a crashing wave.

 _Lightning sears and scorches all in its path. Deafening thunder will rip through the Sky. But, peace will come in the sunrise after the storm._ I thought, remembering the words.

I felt them sear into my mind, and I shuddered.

 _It's the same thing Cloudstar told me in my dream from the Whispering Cave._

I felt my heart begin to pound in my chest. My mouth felt dry and my paws prickled as a chill raced down my spine despite the warm green-leaf air around me. I gazed ahead, looking through the entrance of the medicine cat's den and out into the peaceful camp. Warriors were lazily sharing tongues in pools of sunlight. Wrenkit was tumbling around by the stream. Tangled and Lichenfur were happily warming their old bones on the rocks at the base of Rockpile. But, I couldn't look at the cheerful scene in front of me without also seeing the scene that my dream showed me was to come. A scene of battle. Of blood and storm and fire.

"Are you feeling alright?" Echosong asked me, snapping my attention back to her.

I noticed she and Wolfshade were looking down at me and my prickling fur with concern. I looked up at the medicine cat.

 _Does Echosong know?_

I nodded mutely up at them.

 _I need to think on this more before I can say anything._

But, it was clear that this was not an ordinary dream.

It was a prophecy.

* * *

 _Author's note: Yay! The full prophecy has finally been revealed! Also, an alternative name to this Chapter is "That eagle that I wrote about ages ago finally makes its return" lol._


	62. Chapter 61: Remission

My eyes flickered open the next morning. Yesterday, I had barely enough energy to tell Echosong and Wolfshade that there was no more bitter-root growing in the boulder before I passed out again, and slept all through the rest of the day and last night. Now it was raining lightly outside; I could hear the soft patter of the droplets on the cliffs and the gorge floor. I yawned, rising into a sitting position stiffly. My muscles were sore and tight from the fight with the eagle, then lying in the same position for so long as I slept. I flexed my shoulders, trying to loosen the muscles a bit and I felt a faint twinge of pain from the two new slashes that adorned my pelt. I turned my head to look at the herb-covered wounds.

 _At least the cuts aren't too bad. I should be able to perform my duties with relative ease._

I looked away from the wounds, giving my head a shake.

 _And, there is much we have to do before what I saw in the vision comes._

I shuddered, staring emptily down at my paws.

 _What do I do? What does the prophecy mean? And, how do I stop it?_

I felt my heart start to pound as I saw the terrible violence and screeching cats in my mind again. I wanted to run out of the den and yowl at my clan-mates that we had to prepare, to save ourselves. But, from _what?_

 _Okay, Lightningfire._ I thought to myself, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm down and clear my mind. _Think. Break the words down. What could Cloudstar be trying to tell you?_

 _'Lightning sears and scorches all in its path.'_

My brow furrowed as I continued to stare intently down at my paws.

 _Okay, well 'Lightning' pretty clearly seems to be me. He gave the prophecy to me after all. But, searing and scorching all in my path?_

I hesitated, taking a quiet, trembling breath.

 _That doesn't sound like a good thing._

I lifted my gaze off of my paws, now staring out through the entrance of the den and into the rainy camp.

 _…But, it could be accurate, couldn't it?_

I clenched my jaw, a dark, cold feeling of despair clawing at my insides.

 _I've made so many mistakes._

I closed my eyes, swallowing hard.

 _Bouncefire's death. Wolfshade's memory loss, his injuries. That was me. I caused that for having that stupid fight with Wolfshade. Because I was keeping Whisperheart's secret about the cats in the city._

I gave my head an angry shake, my eyes opening.

 _The city-cats… Ripper. I let him go. Just another mess-up of mine._

I bared my teeth.

 _And, he destroyed the bitter-root because I let him escape._

My tail-tip twitched with anxious energy. How could I fix my mistakes? I suppose its not too late for me to come clean, tell Leafstar the truth.

 _Okay, what's the next part of the prophecy? 'Deafening thunder will rip through the Sky.'_

My brow furrowed as I thought hard.

 _'Sky' is SkyClan. Something is coming for us, the 'deafening thunder.' Which is… what?_

My thoughts whirled as I tried to come up with associations with the word.

 _Cloudstar can't mean ThunderClan, can he?_

I shook my head.

 _No that doesn't make sense. They're so far away. And, ThunderClan is led by Firestar. They're good; they wouldn't want to harm us._

There was something that did want to harm us though, clearly. There were cats in my vision, although I didn't know who they were.

 _Now the last part: 'But, peace will come in the sunrise after the storm.'_

I stilled, calming a bit.

 _A message of hope. It seems whatever this is, whatever things I sear or scorch or whatever comes, we will make it through somehow._

I narrowed my gaze.

 _But, at what casualties? At what cost?_

My ears pricked as a cat entered the den.

"Hello, Lightningfire," Echosong meowed, coming in from the rain with some herbs in her mouth. "How are you feeling?"

"Me? How are _you_ feeling?" I shot back in a slightly accusative voice. "You're still ill, and now you're soaking wet!"

Echosong neatly piled the herbs on the ground to dry.

"I needed to collect some more marigold," Echosong meowed, her blue eyes sparking a bit with annoyance. "I can't predict the weather. I didn't know it was going to rain on me."

With her sliver tabby fur sleek against her sides from the rain, she looked even thinner than normal.

"We need to dry you off," I meowed briskly, getting to my paws to help groom her fur, ignoring her.

"Lightningfire. I'm fine—" she began to insist before she doubled over, a sudden coughing fit wracking her body.

The fur on my back rose in fear.

"Are you okay?" I meowed quickly, nosing her side.

"I'm—maybe, feeling a bit weak," Echosong said in a halting voice.

"Come here, lie down," I said.

I let her lean on my shoulder as I helped her to her nest. Echosong collapsed onto the moss and I got to work drying her off. After she was dry, and lying down, I quickly dashed to the herb storage, grabbing some horse-tail and cat-mint. I put the herbs down in front of Echosong.

"You can't waste the cat-mint on me," she protested. "What if someone catches green-cough?"

"Well then you better eat it so you'll still be alive to help them out," I said, glaring at her, daring her to say anything else.

Echosong still hesitated.

"Please, Echosong," I meowed. "We don't have anymore bitter-root. The horse-tail should help stop some bleeding if your lungs aren't completely healed yet, and the cat-mint should fight back the cough. I need you to eat them."

"Very well," she murmured, bending her head to lap up the herbs.

My thoughts were distracted from the prophecy by the more immediate issue of Echosong's health. I groomed Echosong's fur soothingly, and she ended up falling asleep. I stayed with her in the den all day, jumping anxiously at every cough. She grew feverish again, and refused the mouse I offered her around sun-high, although she did drink water from soaked moss in the face of my unyielding insisting.

Leafstar stopped by the den to see how I was doing after the eagle attack in the afternoon.

"Is Echosong alright?" my mother asked in concern, after assessing that I looked fine, but the medicine cat was limply curled in her nest.

"I don't know," I murmured, glancing her. "I'm hoping she just caught a chill, and the bleeding cough hasn't come back, but…"

Leafstar's eyes darkened at my unspoken words.

After Leafstar had left, Wolfshade also stopped by to check up on me. He was only there for a few moments before have to head out on patrol, but his brief presence brought me a bit of comfort.

Soon the sun had set, but Echosong's fever still hadn't broken. All day, I tried to keep my paws busy, so my thoughts didn't have time to fester. But, by the time that night was in full swing, there were no more herbs to dry, or sort, or take stock, and I found myself numbly standing over the sleeping body of my medicine cat.

I looked down at Echosong, feeling like my paws weighed at much as boulders as a slow, painful anxiety-mixed-horror pulled at my belly.

 _Another mistake. Another way I'm fulfilling the prophecy by searing and scorching. I can't even heal Echosong properly._

I shook my head furiously, feeling bright anger at myself and the stupid prophecy.

 _What about Frecklewish?_ I thought, my thoughts flying back to the most distance memories of my apprenticeship. _Could that be apart of this prophecy too? Could I have saved her if I got there more quickly? Then we wouldn't even have to worry about the fate of the Clan if Echosong passed._

I felt a sudden urge to move. I jerked forward sharply, pacing around the den, the fur on my back prickling.

 _What would SkyClan do without a medicine cat? No one to give us the warnings and messages from our ancestors? No one to heal the sick or injured? Even the things I know about herbs isn't enough. I haven't done an proper training. I couldn't teach an apprentice how to become a medicine cat in place of Echosong._

I looked at Echosong's bony, fragile form.

 _How can I fix this? Save the Clan from myself?_

 _…Can I save the Clan from myself?_ The doubting thought whispered in my mind. _Maybe everything I do just makes things worse. Maybe the only way to save my Clan is to leave it alone._

I gave my head a sharp shake, like I could shake that thought out of my mind.

 _Abandon my Clan? My family? I can't do that. I love my Clan. Leaving goes against everything in the Warrior Code. Everything that I've ever known._

I looked at the entrance of the den, staring outside into the night.

 _But, what if leaving is what_ ** _saves_** _them?_

I shook my head again, taking a deep breath.

 _I'm thinking nonsense. I have to clear my mind._

With a final glance at Echosong to make sure she was still sleeping peacefully, I walked to the entrance of the medicine and slipped outside. There was no one else in camp as I paced through the gorge, my feet squelching on the sandy ground that was still wet from the rain earlier. I walked to the edge of camp, settling down in my favorite spot near Rockpile, in front of the stream. I looked out over the water. The river was running at bit higher than normal from the rainfall, but the water was fairly calm this night. And, I could see the stars reflected down from the sky and into the water.

I rose my gaze to the sky. The tiny pinpricks of white shone down on me, the only guiding light in the otherwise great empty blue expanse. I swept my gaze over the sky, taking in all of the thousands of warriors of StarClan.

 _Could I be a medicine cat?_

The thought rose seemingly without my conscious consent, settling in the forefront of my mind.

 _Echosong might die. Becoming a medicine cat could save many of my clan-mates lives if that's the case. It would be what's best for my Clan._

I looked at the stars, imagining interpreting them. I saw myself in close confidence with SkyClan's leader. Sitting in the medicine cat's den, bright sunlight filtering in through the entrance while my paws sorted through the herbs. Purring to the warriors in a friendly way as they returned from a hunting patrol while I passed them on my way to the Whispering Cave.

I bowed my head, looking down from the stars to my paws.

I saw myself far from Wolfshade, our eyes meeting from across camp, but I did not approach him. I saw the pain in his gaze when I turned away and returned to the medicine cat's den alone. I felt my heart breaking in my chest.

I shook my head, looking at my paws, knowing the answer to my question.

 _No._

I might be able to memorize herbs, but I wasn't strong enough to live the lonely existence of the medicine cat, mate-less, devoted fully to the wellbeing of the Clan and to our ancestors.

I clenched my jaw.

 _But, is this the right choice?_

I looked up at the night sky.

"How do I know what's best?" I hissed up at the stars in an anguished voice. "How do I know what choice of mine will help my clan-mates, and which will _sear and scorch_ them?"

I shook my head, glaring angrily up at my warrior ancestors.

"Doesn't what I want matter too?" I growled at them. "Or, is everything that I want wrong? Is that the root of all my mistakes?"

I fell into silence for a moment as I searched the sky with my gaze intently, my eyes finding one star that seemed to shine more brightly than the rest.

 _"Help me,"_ I begged, my gaze locked on that star.

Dark grey clouds swept across the sky and suddenly that bright star was obscured by the clouds. I felt a cold drop of rain fall down on me, snaking its way through my fur and leaving an icy kiss on my spine. The cold made its way down inside of me, settling in my bones. I felt a surge of dejection, and I looked down at my feet, my brow furrowed.

 _StarClan has given their answer._

I rose to my paws, giving my pelt a sharp shake to dislodge the chill. I turned towards the dens, heading to shelter. My gaze found the entrance to the medicine cat's cave, and I raised one paw to head in that direction when I hesitated.

My gaze rose higher up the cliff face to the warrior's den.

I bounded forward, my paws flying over the damp ground. The rain began to fall harder as I ran past the medicine cat's den, scaled the gorge cliff, and slipped into the warrior's den.

Inside the den, it was warm, dark and cozy. I could hear gentle snores, and I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, making out the gentle rise and fall of many furry flanks. I carefully picked my way around a lot of cats, tiptoeing around Shrewtooth, stepping delicately over Seedheart, narrowly missing treading on Clovertail's tail. Until I ended up at Wolfshade's side.

I looked down at his sleeping face, my gaze softening as I studied his familiar, comforting features. I lowered myself to the nest, pressing close to Wolfshade's side. His mint-pine scent wreathed around me as I gently touched my nose to the thick ruff of fur around his neck.

"I love you," I murmured to his sleeping form.

My voice was quiet enough that he didn't wake. I curled up tighter, shutting my eyes and pressing myself closer to his side. Wolfshade stirred slightly at my touch. My eyes flickered back open, and I looked at him. His eyes were still tightly shut, but he rolled in his sleep, wrapped a fore-paw around me to pull me more snugly to him, pressing his face into my fur.

I sighed; for the first time in a long while, contentment burned in me, warming me with a gentle flame from tail-tip to nose, chasing my worries away for now. I twisted my head to give Wolfshade a gentle lick on his cheek. Wolfshade's low purr rasped briefly before fading back into silence as he fell back into a deeper sleep. Purring softly to myself, I too closed my eyes and slipped into the release of sleep.


	63. Chapter 62: My Destiny

"Morning."

I stirred, blinking open my eyes to see Wolfshade gazing down at me. His one paw was still casually draped over my back, and he had a slightly amused expression on his face as he studied me. I felt my fur grow slightly hot at the teasing expression, but when our gazes met, I saw he also had a gentle look in his eyes.

"Mm, hey," I mumbled, yawning.

"I didn't realize you came up last night," he said.

"You were sleeping," I murmured into the moss of the nest, my eyes still half-lidded.

Wolfshade nodded.

"I was," he mused.

"Is Echosong doing any better?" he added.

"Echosong!" I gasped, my eyes flying open as I sprung to my paws.

"Ow," Wolfshade said with a wince as I accidentally smacked his muzzle with my leg in my rush to get to my feet.

"Sorry, muzzle!" I apologized quickly to Wolfshade as I bounded way. "I have to go check on Echosong!"

I dashed around the remaining warriors in the den as I barreled out of the cave.

"Eep! Sorry!" I gasped as I almost ran smack into the golden back of Lionclaw, who was just around the corner outside of the den.

I dodged nimbly around him, scampering down the trail on the cliffside hastily. At the foot of the cliff, I bounded through the ferns in front of the medicine cat's den, rushing inside. Echosong was still in her nest, but her flanks rose and fell steadily as she breathed evenly.

I let out a huge breath that I didn't even know I was holding, padding over to her to nose her side. Her fur felt cool; her fever had broken during the night. Echosong roused at my touch, blinking up at me.

"How are you?" I meowed.

"I'm feeling better," she murmured with a yawn.

"Are you having trouble breathing at all?" I asked.

"No," she said.

"Good," I said with a purr of relief. "It seems like then you just had a cold yesterday."

"Yes," Echosong meowed softly, a strange note of hesitation in her voice.

I looked down at her, a feeling of slight confusion settling over me.

"Echosong, is something wrong?" I meowed.

Echosong gave her head a small shake like she was trying to dislodge clinging cobwebs from her pelt.

"Just thinking about things," she meowed vaguely, not entirely meeting my gaze.

I looked down at her, my brow furrowing.

 _What is she not telling me?_

"I need to speak to Leafstar," Echosong said, slowly rising to her paws.

"Can you make the climb up the cliff to the leader's den?" I asked, giving her weak form a worried look. "Here, why don't I fetch you some fresh-kill to eat first, since you didn't have any food all of yesterday?"

Echosong gave me a look that was unamused.

 _I wonder if she doesn't like me lecturing her._

"And, then I will get Leafstar, so that she can come speak with you here," I added.

"Very well," Echosong said with a sigh, sitting back down.

She cast me a look from the side of her eyes.

"You know, you better stop treating me like an invalid, Lightningfire," Echosong said.

Her voice was teasing, but I thought I might have detected a note of seriousness hidden beneath her words. As I turned to pad out of the den, I heard her mutter to herself under her breath.

"For both our sakes…"

I headed to the fresh-kill pile with a furrowed brow.

 _Something is seriously bothering Echosong._

I snatched up a mouse, turning to cast a glance back at the medicine cat's den from over my shoulder. My tail twitched nervously. For some reason I felt a sense of unease and creeping dread, and it made me not want to return to the medicine cat's den. I took a deep breath, giving my head a shake to shake the feeling off, like I was shedding rainwater from my pelt.

 _Speaking of rain, it looks like more might be on its way._

I glanced up at the sky, and the rolling grey clouds that covered it. I made myself walk back to the medicine cat's den.

 _Like we haven't gotten enough rain these past few days._

"Here's your fresh-kill," I meowed, dropping the mouse at Echosong's paws. "I'll go get Leafstar now."

I left Echosong munching on the mouse as I headed up to the leader's den.

"Leafstar?" I meowed at the mouth of the cave.

"Yes?" she answered.

I poked my head inside, and my eyes widened in surprise to see her in conference with both Brackenstorm and Sharpclaw.

"Um, Echosong would like to speak with you in the medicine cat's den," I meowed, my gaze flickering from Leafstar to my father to the deputy.

 _I wonder what sort of meeting I interrupted._

"I'll be down in just a moment," Leafstar said, dismissing me with a flick of her tail.

I dipped my head to her and withdrew. I climbed back down the cliff and sat at it's base, feeling unsure of what to do with myself.

 _I suppose I could head out on patrol._

I cast a glance at the entrance to the medicine cat's den.

 _But, Echosong is still so weak._

I sighed, turning to look down at my paws. As I pondered what I should do, I noticed Leafstar came down from the leader's den and slipped into the medicine cat's den.

I looked out at the warriors that were milling about or gathering to head out on patrol.

 _How did I, out of all of them, end up stuck here, helping in the medicine cat's den?_

I swept my gaze over the crowd.

 _Surely one of them must be able to help out, learn about herbs like I did._

I lowered my gaze from the warriors thoughtfully, an idea forming in my mind.

 _Yes, that's what I'll do. I'll ask Leafstar if I can go back to warriors duties, and if another cat can help out with Echosong for a while._

"Lightningfire, I must speak to you."

I jumped in surprise at the sound of my mother's voice. I turned to see that Leafstar had reemerged from the medicine cat's den. My brow furrowed as I saw the grave look on Leafstar's face.

"What's wrong?" I meowed.

I padded over to my mother, a strange sort of nervousness swirling in my belly. Leafstar turned without answering and led me into the medicine cat's den, where Leafstar sat with her tail curled over her paws next to Echosong. The two exchanged a look before turning their gazes onto me. My brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yes? What's going on?" I asked, taking a seat in front of them.

Echosong and my mother exchanged another look. Echosong broke this one off, turning to cough faintly into her shoulder. My heart twitched to see how frail she looked.

"Lightningfire," Leafstar meowed with a sigh. "I am about to ask something of you that no leader has had to ask of their cats before. At least, to my knowledge…"

"What is it?" I asked, my throat suddenly dry.

For a heartbeat, she hesitated.

"I need you to train to become the next medicine cat of SkyClan," Leafstar meowed.

My brow furrowed.

"What? But, I don't want to…" I said slowly, as the words processed.

Leafstar looked completely serious.

"Lightningfire, this is not a request," Leafstar said in a quiet voice.

"Are you serious?" I said, my eyes widening.

I jumped to my paws.

"No! I already told Echosong no! I'm a warrior!" I yowled.

The tip of Leafstar's tail twitched.

"Please, stop shouting. I understand that you feel like that, but these are unusual circumstances. We don't know if her disease is truly cured. We don't even know how long Echosong will stay with us. A moon? Two seasons? Ten seasons? I'm only trying to do what is best for our Clan. She needs an apprentice. Our Clan needs a medicine cat. What will we do if we are left without one?" Leafstar meowed.

"I can help. I don't mind stepping in and collecting herbs or healing wounds, but I won't be a medicine cat. I love being a warrior and hunting and patrolling," I said. "Owlpaw is my apprentice, and I won't stop training her. There will be a kit soon enough that is eager to heal and will want to be a medicine cat."

Leafstar shook her head.

"That's not good enough. Who knows when another cat with a talent for healing will be born? Lightningfire, have you ever thought that maybe this was meant to be?" she said, looking at me with earnest eyes.

Leafstar paused, taking a deep breath.

"...Lightningfire, there is something that I have to tell you. Something I perhaps should have told you a long time ago. There was a prophecy given to Echosong the day you were born. _Lightning sears and scorches_ ," Leafstar meowed.

I froze. The familiar words washing over me like freezing water. It trickled down through my pelt, turning my bones to ice. My heart beat loudly in my ears, but my blood flow felt sluggish, like it was barely squeezing through my veins.

"You will do great things for our Clan." Leafstar continued.

"…That's not the whole thing. What about the rest of the prophecy?" I meowed quietly, my gaze locked on the dirt in front of me.

"What?" Echosong meowed, her brow furrowing.

My gaze slowly rose from the ground, and my pelt prickled as I saw Leafstar and Echosong were staring intently at me. I shuffled my paws.

"I've heard those words before from Cloudstar. And, the day I was attacked by the eagle, I had a dream about attacking cats and a fire and I heard them again. But, there's more to it than just that," I meowed.

I closed my eyes to remember the exact words, shuddering as I recalled the heat of the flames and the sound of my clan mates' cries.

" _Lightning sears and scorches all in its path. Deafening thunder will rip through the Sky. But, peace will come in the sunrise after the storm,"_ I meowed, my eyes flickering back open.

"The whole prophecy," Echosong muttered. "Lightning means you, Lightningfire."

I felt a surge of anger and some claw-pricks of fear wash over me as my thoughts turned back to the prophecy.

"But what about me?" I snapped, suddenly irritated. "I'm sick of Cloudstar whispering in my ear. I'm sick of these confusing dreams. What does it mean!"

"Most prophecies only warn us that something is coming. What it is exactly, we won't be able to tell until it's come to pass," Echosong meowed.

I saw the mystery shadow-cats from the dreams in my mind.

"Well that sounds useless," I said, my tail-tip twitching.

 _Who are you?_ I asked the attackers in my mind.

"Lightningfire," Leafstar meowed, bring my attention back to her. "Can't you see? You've been having dreams about prophecies. Sometimes you walk with Cloudstar in your dreams. You're a warrior that can speak to StarClan. Don't you think that maybe your destiny is not to be a warrior then, but to be a medicine cat instead?"

"What about Wolfshade?" I said in a quiet voice, but it vibrated with tension.

My anxieties, fear, and stress were bubbling very close to the surface. I clawed at them, trying to keep them down, but they strained against me, fraying at the very edge of my control.

"The Clan must come first, Lightningfire," Leafstar murmured.

I snapped, unable to take this anymore. My lip curled up in anger.

"This is my life! How dare you try to take it from me? You're my leader, but you can't decide for me everything that I can or can't do. You can't take away my opportunity to have a mate and family!" I meowed, digging my claws into the ground.

"Lightningfire…" Echosong warned in a soft voice.

Leafstar's eyes flashed, her temper rising at my tone.

"You made a vow the day you got your name to protect and defend this Clan. I'm telling you now that being a medicine cat is the best way you can do that," Leafstar said.

I could hear the tightness in her voice as she did her best to keep her anger under control.

"How do you know that's what the prophecy means?" I demanded, lashing my tail. "How do you know that becoming a medicine cat is the best way for me to help our Clan?"

"I am this Clan's leader," Leafstar said through clenched teeth. "Everything I do is for the best of my Clan."

"But, I love SkyClan just as much as you do!" I protested.

"Really?" Leafstar said, her eyes flashing like lightning in a thunderstorm. "Then why are you betraying us like this?"

I flattened my ears.

"I would never betray SkyClan," I growled, the hurt plain in my voice at her accusation.

"Then be its medicine cat," Leafstar hissed.

"No!" I snarled, the fur on my back rising.

"That's an order, Lightningfire!" Leafstar was yowling now.

She got to her paws to face me, her back hunched, her claws gripping the ground in a pose that mirrored mine. I felt a maelstrom of emotions swirling in me— frustration, fear, anger. They roared in my ears, raking razor-claws down my insides, shuddering up and down my spine, shaking my paws and sending the world careening upside-down around me. It was all too much.

"You don't control my destiny!" I shouted back to Leafstar.

And with that, I whirled around and sprinted away.


	64. Chapter 63: I Would

My heart pounded in my throat as my paws flew across the leaf-littered forest floor. I didn't know where I was going, just that I was running away. My paws squelched through the mud from the previous day's rains as I bounded forward, wind whipping around me as I followed the river away from camp.

 _I can't be a medicine cat._

My breath panted rhythmically in my mouth.

 _Leafstar is wrong._

A bluebird flew out of a bush, giving a startled alarm call as I shot past.

 _I can't be the prophecy._

I ducked my head, doubling down on my speed.

I burst through some undergrowth and came to a startled, stumbling stop. I had run very far without realizing it. Now, I stood at the top of a cliff at the edge of SkyClan territory. A few tail-lengths ahead of me, the river fell over the side the cliff, tumbling down as a waterfall before crashing to the ground several fox lengths below. My chest heaved as I panted heavily, my old rib wounds bothering me slightly. I stared out into the unknown territory in the distance.

The river in front of me was fast—angry and swollen from the heavy rainfall. It fell down the cliff in a great, clambering roar, then continued onward, rushing through strange trees, sweeping through distant forests.

 _Go,_ the thought whispered in my mind.

 _I shouldn't,_ I replied to myself.

 _Why not?_ the voice asked.

 _Where would I go?_ I answered the question with a question. _Who is out there for me?_

For a moment, I allowed myself to fantasize. I journeyed through mysterious woods, over hills, through valleys, meeting many different cats all along the way. Maybe I would see the Clans of the Forest. Go to ThunderClan. Meet the fabled Firestar. Be a warrior there.

 _I bet the Clans in the forest would understand that Leaders can't force a warrior to be a medicine cat…_

A bush ruffled behind me. I tensed, whirling around to face the noise. I half expected Leafstar to come out after me, but instead the cat that emerged was Wolfshade.

"Lightningfire, what are you doing?" Wolfshade called.

I turned from him, pacing to the very edge of the cliff to glare down at the tumbling waterfall.

"Running," I said in a low voice.

"Lightningfire, don't. Take a moment and think about this," Wolfshade said. "I overheard your conversation with Leafstar."

"She's being so unfair," I said with a hiss from over my shoulder.

"She is," Wolfshade agreed, but his support wasn't enough to flatten my bristling fur. "But, Leafstar will see sense. She won't actually make you become a medicine cat. Think about it… Leafstar is also under a lot of stress; what she was asking you to do was out of desperation. Give her time to cool down and think rationally, then speak to her again."

"She's under stress?" I said with a bitter growl. "She's not the one seeing her clan-mates die in her dreams every night."

Wolfshade shot me a quizzical look, but he didn't waste time asking me what I meant.

"Leafstar and Echosong were calling for you after you left," Wolfshade meowed, his voice gentle and coaxing. "Leafstar looked like she felt terrible and very guilty after yelling at you."

I felt a claw-prick of doubt run down my spine as his words started to whisper quiet sense in my head.

 _Maybe he's right. Leafstar won't make me be a medicine cat. Leafstar loves me…_

Wolfshade watched me intently as I thought.

"I know things are hard right now, after Ripper's escape, and Echosong's sickness, and Leafstar pressuring you to be a medicine cat," Wolfshade continued. "But, Lightningfire, I know what kind of cat you are. I know how loyal you are and how much you love our Clan. I know you don't actually want to leave SkyClan. We can work this out."

I felt my stomach flip as his words sent more thoughts crashing into my mind, reminding me how Leafstar asking me to be a medicine was the least of my problems. It was just the one that pushed me over the edge. The pebble that caused a landslide.

 _The prophecy._

I felt a stiffness travel all the way down my body, turning my muscles to stone. Moving jerkily, I turned to look at Wolfshade, my gaze burning. I blinked hard at him.

"How do you know what I want? You don't know what I've done. You don't know who I am," I said, a low growl building in my throat.

Every thought of every mistake I've made came sweeping over me.

An image of Ripper's face flashed in my mind. Then my thoughts shifted to the prophecy. I heard Cloudstar's words, and I saw the lightning strike in my mind and my screaming clan-mates. I hunched my back, feeling like the weight of the world was crushing my shoulders.

 _I ruin everything. Everything in my path._

I looked up at Wolfshade, pain tearing through my chest.

 _Maybe it's better for them. Better for him. Better for all of them, if I just leave. I can't ruin anything if I'm not here._

I searched Wolfshade's grey and green gaze with my own. Looking into his eyes, I shook my head before turning to gaze down at my feet.

 _Perhaps then, one good thing will come out of the badger attack and Wolfshade's amnesia—it'll be easier for him to get over me this way._

It felt like boulders were tied to my paws, dragging me underwater and drowning me in the river. The weight of my secrets and this prophecy was too much for me to carry anymore.

"No, Wolfshade, you don't know me at all; you've forgotten me," I said, muttering half to myself.

"No I haven't," Wolfshade said.

My ears flattened as I glanced back up at him in surprise.

"Yes you have— you don't remember anything from before the accident," I said.

Wolfshade looked at me with a furrowed brow.

"I know my memories are gone," Wolfshade meowed quietly, bowing his head and taking a few steps closer to me.

I watched him approach slightly warily.

"But, I've gotten to know you again," he said, looking up at me with a serious gaze. "And, because I have, I understand now why I fell in love with you before."

Wolfshade looked away, glancing down at his paws.

"There is this warmth that burns in me when I'm around you," Wolfshade said, a slight shake in his deep voice. "An ease that I feel when our pelts touch. And, when I look into your eyes it is like staring into the brilliance of the sun."

"What are…" I murmured, swallowing against a suddenly very dry throat.

My heart hammered in my chest as my gaze frantically searched Wolfshade's face, trying to read every thought and emotion hidden within his expression. I stared at him, strangely unable to move a muscle. Slowly, Wolfshade raised his eyes from his paws and our gazes met. Wolfshade's beautiful grey-green eyes softened, and he let out a soft sigh.

"See, Lightningfire?" he said, a quiet, hesitant purr in his voice "…My heart could never forget."

I swallowed hard, my pelt bushed out and bristling with electricity like a storm in green-leaf. My stomach somersaulted as I looked at him. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I closed my jaws, flattening my ears and feeling like my insides were being torn up by razor sharp claws.

"Oh, Wolfshade…" I managed to meow.

"Don't look at me like that," Wolfshade said, flattening his ears and giving a strangled sort of purr.

"I can't help it," I said, letting out my own forced purr in response.

I shook my head.

"You never make things easy for me, do you?" I asked quietly, a sad sort of teasing in my voice.

"You think this has been easy for me either?" Wolfshade asked.

I was startled by the pained look that appeared on his face.

"I've missed you on patrol," he said. "I hate seeing you sitting in the mouth of the medicine cat's cave when your nest is empty next to mine in the warrior's den… I don't want you to be a medicine cat."

Wolfshade gave his head a shake, looking down at his paws for a moment before bringing his gaze back up to mine.

"I don't know what to do," he said. "I think that… I might be in love with you."

I breathed in a quiet, sharp breath. I found myself trapped in his gaze as Wolfshade stared at me with his beautiful eyes— twin deep green pools that darkened to grey around the pupil, highlighted with flecks of silver. Wolfshade's face was more raw and open than I've seen in moons. Than I've seen since he forgot me.

My heart sung at his words. It pounded loudly in my chest, racing faster and harder than any sprint could make it beat. A purr started to rumble in my throat, and for a moment, the world seemed a little brighter. Like all of this… the prophecy… and _everything_ … it might be alright in the end.

"I love you too, Wolfshade," I said, taking one step towards him and searching his sliver-green gaze with my own. "I've never stopped loving you. And, if you want me to stay here, I will—"

My words became a startled cry as I felt the muddy ground suddenly give away from under my hind paws. I slid backwards, my belly coating in slimy mud. The excited pounding of my heart turned into a drumming of icy panic when I felt nothing under my hind legs but air, while my forepaws scrabbled for purchase in the slippery mud and wet grass.

"Lightningfire!" Wolfshade yowled, wasting no time before springing forward.

He fastened his jaws on my scruff, yanking me away from the edge of the cliff. Panting, I managed to hook one hind paw back onto the clifftop, sinking my claws into the sodden earth. My legs trembling, I strained to pull myself back forward on the slippery ground. Wolfshade took a step backwards, away from the edge of the cliff.

Time seemed to slow down as I watched him place his forepaw back down. I saw it hit a pool of mud, and I saw his ankle flex as his paw slipped out from under him. Wolfshade stumbled, his other paws losing their grip as he fell to the ground. I gave one more frantic lunge forward, claws scraping the ground for any sort of purchase as I felt the two of us sliding back, our pelts coated in the wet mud. Wolfshade released my scruff, giving my side a hard kick to try to propel me away from the edge. But, the slope was too steep, and the ground was too slick. I gasped, the bitter, slimy taste of mud filling my mouth as the two of us slid over the edge of the cliff.

All of my fur stood on end as, for a heartbeat, there was only the rush of wind and sky around me.

Then I hit the water.

For a moment everything was still from under the waves. Muffled roaring filled my ears as the dark river flowed all around me. Then my paws began to kick instinctively as the shock of hitting the rough water faded. My lungs ached as I shot upwards. My head burst through the surface of the river, water sputtering from my jaws as I gasped for breath.

 _"Wolfshade!"_ I screamed.

 _"Lightningfire!"_ he echoed.

I spotted his dark grey head bobbing in the rapid river a few fox-lengths away from me, his long fur sodden. I started to kick over to him, and I saw the flash of his green eyes from his dark face as he spotted me.

 _"Look out!"_ he yowled.

I turned my head just in time to see a huge branch being swept towards me by the roaring water. Paws flailing, I tried to kick out of its way.

But, I was too slow.

It was on top of me.

 _"Lightningfire!"_ Wolfshade cried.

Everything went black.


	65. Chapter 64: Somewhere Downstream

Wind rushed in my ears as, slowly, I came back to myself. My paws ached and every limb felt as heavy as a stone. I groaned and cracked opened my eyes. Blinking water out of my vision, I tried to take in my surroundings. I was lying at the bank of the stream. The back half of me was still submerged in the water and the current tugged at my tail. I dug my claws into the muddy bank and clawed my way forward. The movement jostled my swollen stomach, which was bloated with water. I twisted my head to vomit up water and bile, and a coughing fit quickly followed. I hacked up what seemed like half the river from my lungs. After I had emptied my body of all excess water, I lifted my head, my limbs trembling with exhaustion. Despite the terrible, dragging urge to sleep, my mind was focused on only one thing, and I forced my body to obey.

 _Wolfshade._

 _Where is Wolfshade?_

I scanned the riverbank, and spotted a sodden lump of dark grey fur, turned black with water. He lay sprawled on his side across the ground, his mouth half-open, and water trickling from his jaws. I blinked hard, trying to clear my vision from the water that still dripped into my eyes, searching his flank for the rise and fall of his breath. The water pooled around him the same way his blood had after the badger attack. My stomach lurched at the comparison. I stumbled up, half walking, half dragging myself towards him.

"Wolfshade! Wolfshade!" I meowed, my voice rough and desperate.

Wolfshade's body convulsed as he coughed hard, water flying from his mouth, and his eyes flickered open. His eyes found mine, and I saw relief flood their green gaze.

"It's okay, Lightning. I'm alright," he panted.

My paws now shaking with relief along with fatigue, I stumbled over to him. He pulled himself onto his stomach with a grunt and the movement was immediately followed by violent coughing and vomiting up of water. As my panic wore off, I collapsed to the ground next to him, my eyelids fluttering with exhaustion.

"Where are we?" Wolfshade rasped after his coughing fit subsided.

"I have no idea," I said.

The forest around us was completely unfamiliar.

"Somewhere downstream," I added unhelpfully.

I struggled back to my paws, sweeping my gaze around us as I swayed on my feet.

"I think we need to—" I started to meow.

The bushes ruffled to the right, and five heavily muscled cats strode out. The leader of the group was a large, light brown tabby and white tom with a pelt crisscrossed with scars. He bared his teeth at us.

"I knew I smelt trespassers," he snarled.

A chill crept up my spine. My brain snapped into action, and I recognized his face and voice. Wolfshade gave a similar jerk in surprise. My eyes met the orange eyes of Ripper and I saw them widen in shock as recognition dawned in them too.

In an instant, Wolfshade and I were surrounded by the five cats. Icy fear jabbed at me. I swallowed hard and took a deep breath, trying to remain calm, but I couldn't stop my fur from bristling.

"We're sorry. We were lost and fell in the stream. We didn't mean to wander into your territory," I meowed, still staring into Ripper's orange eyes.

Every muscle in my body tensed as I waited to see what he would say.

Wolfshade slowly pulled himself to a sitting position beside me, eyeing the other cats warily.

"Let's kill them," a pale grey tom panted in excitement, lunging forward.

"Wait," Ripper snapped, jerking in front of the pale grey tom.

"Look how well fed they look," a ginger tom meowed. "The prey must run good in their territory. We could use more hunting grounds."

"Where are you from?" a black-and-white she-cat at Ripper's side demanded.

"Downstream," I lied immediately.

I noticed Wolfshade was immediately onboard with my plan, as he nodded in mute agreement.

I shot a glance at Ripper. He was silent.

"Or they're house cats," a pale grey tom growled. "In which case we should just kill them."

"I said we're not killing them, Ghost," Ripper said quietly but with a menacing growl.

Ghost shrunk down, fear flashing in his watery blue eyes.

"Sorry, Ripper," he mumbled.

"Besides, does that look like a kitty-pet to you?" the ginger tom said, gesturing to Wolfshade's dramatic facial scars.

The black and white she-cat took a loud sniff of the air.

"They smell strange. Like weird forests," she announced.

"All I smell is wet cat and mud," the ginger tom said with an eye roll.

"Where exactly downstream did you say you were from?" Ghost asked us, his meow now sickly sweet.

Wolfshade and I exchanged a look.

"Far," Wolfshade growled.

"Don't play with me," Ghost spat. "I'll ask one more time: where are you from?"

I clamped my mouth shut, glaring at him.

"The Queen will want to see them," the black-and-white cat meowed.

The cats looked to Ripper. He was quiet for a moment.

"You're right. They need to see the Queen and to be questioned," Ripper said, his gaze locked on mine.

 _What game is he playing at?_

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I'm sure she'll be very curious to hear about their territory," Ripper added.

 _The fox-heart!_

I bared my teeth at Ripper. I heard a soft growl rumbling in Wolfshade's throat.

Ripper raised his tail and turned.

"Bring them in," he said.

The rogues behind us surged forward, hissing and snapping. One swiped at my face. I winced back at the unexpected blow, but Wolfshade stepped forward, taking the swipe for me unflinchingly on his shoulder. Wolfshade gazed at the black rogue, his eyes steely and his face void of emotion. He didn't even seem to notice the blood that dripped from his shoulder.

I saw a jolt of nervousness flash in the black rogue's eyes.

Wolfshade turned almost regally back around and strode forward.

"Stay close to me. I'll watch your back," he murmured to me.

"And I'll watch yours," I murmured back, shooting a pointed glance at his shoulder.

I felt both grateful and annoyed that he took the blow for me. Wolfshade shot me a look before Ripper whipped his head around.

"Stop talking," he snapped.

The reeking scent of monster and thunderpath pricked at my nose. We pushed our way out through the underbrush, and came to the edge of a thunderpath. A two-leg place stretched beyond that, rows of yards and nests. My fur bristled at the smell of monster and two-leg, and my eyes widened at the massive two-leg place in front of us. Wolfshade looked equally as uneasy, casting a quick glance left then right. I took a step sidewise and brushed my tail quickly over his flank in a comforting gesture.

The rogues looked almost amused at our discomfort. Ripper flicked his tail and the group bounded forward, forcing us onto the thunderpath. Our paws pounded on the sticky, unnatural surface, my fur rising on my shoulders with every step. We made it across without incident, but my heart continued to race in my chest.

"Let's move," Ripper snapped, jerking his head to the side to indicate the direction.

We slunk past the walls and fences of the two-leg nests. I kept my head low, a deep feeling of discomfort reverberating in my stomach, twisting my insides all up. Wolfshade walked so close to my side that our fur brushed. His eyes were a little too wide, and his motions a little too jerky. He also seemed deeply on edge. I wanted to wrap myself around him and bury my face into his soft fur and murmur that everything was going to be okay. But, I couldn't, and I was left with shooting him sad, sidewise looks. We walked for a long while, twisting our way down the streets. Harsh two-leg scents stung my nose and my paws trembled with every step.

I've never felt so afraid or out of my element. There were no trees above us, only harsh skylines. The nests were oppressive and looming, and it seemed like any second they may come tumbling down on us. How could my father ever have lived in a place like this?

 _This is half of who I am._

I shuddered at the thought.

 _No that's not true. Brackenstorm is completely a warrior now. I'm all warrior too._

Soon, however, the terror of the two-leg place took second priority in my mind as my physical condition became more and more weak. My legs shook with exhaustion as the rogues forced us forward relentlessly. Wolfshade and I rasped in matching panting breaths as we stumbled along. If one of us fell out of pace, we were pushed back forward with a merciless shove from one of the rouges from behind.

"How much longer?" Wolfshade muttered to me.

His eyes looked glassy. My heart twanged at the sight of his dull eyes, when normally they were such vibrant green.

Suddenly the scent of trees and grass filled my nose. I blinked myself out of the daze-like state I was marching in and my ears perked.

 _Am I dreaming?_

In a gap between two dull, grey two-leg nests, I spotted a patch of bright, shimmering green. As we rounded a corner, I realized that it was a forest, trapped in the middle of the two-leg place. Two-leg nests rose up all around it like the walls of a desolate cave, surrounding an oasis.

 _The Park,_ I thought, remembering Whisperheart's word for it.

There was another thunderpath in front of us that we had to cross to get into the Park. Ripper glanced from side to side to check for two-legs and monsters before leading us across. This time, I couldn't go any faster than a fast trot across the sticky black surface. I let out a huge sigh as we made it across safely, wanting to collapse to the ground in relief. But, we were given no time to rest, of course.

"This way," Ripper growled, brushing through the undergrowth with his broad, scarred shoulders.

"This way to what?" I panted, tripping over a root as I struggled to lift my tired paws off of the ground.

"To Queen Silk's court," Ripper rumbled from over his shoulder.

Wolfshade and I exchanged a nervous look. We padded through the unfamiliar trees. The sight and smell of the forest and the touch of grass underfoot brought me some comfort, but it could not beat back the growing fear in my chest that fluttered against my ribcage like a caged bird. As we padded deeper into the Park, the scents of cats became more prominent, overwhelming even the scent of two-legs. We turned a corner, and found ourselves face to face with a thick wall of brambles. Ripper padded along the brambles for a moment before reaching a small tunnel through the bushes. He ducked down and slipped through, the fur on his wide shoulders being caught on the thorns.

"You're next," Ghost hissed at me, blinking his watery blue eyes.

I shot the tom a defiant look, but said nothing as I followed Ripper through the tunnel. I heard Wolfshade hissing and cursing quietly behind me as his long fur got tangled in the brambles as we padded through the tunnel. I blinked as we emerged from the bush and into a small clearing. The clearing was much smaller than our gorge camp, and it was completely surrounded by the bramble bushes, with only one tall pine tree growing up in the middle of the clearing. But, for such a small space, it was packed with cats. And, they all turned to look at us as we emerged from the bush. I tried to hang back, but Wolfshade and I were shoved forward from the rogues from behind. The crowd of cats whispered and shot the two of us hostile looks as Wolfshade and I were herded towards the pine tree. The cats here all looked well muscled and vicious, more like Ripper or the cats on the patrol that captured us in appearance than like Whisperheart or Iceshiver.

 _These cats must all be lieutenants._

I swallowed, turning my gaze back forward.

 _And, we are about to meet their Queen._

As we approached the tree, I noticed a white shape in a moss-lined nest nestled deep between the roots. A slim, long legged, pure-white white she-cat uncurled herself from her nest in the roots of the jagged pine tree and prowled over to us.

I gazed at the she-cat, feeling a shiver of fear run up my spine. Although she did not look particularly threatening, there was something in her bright orange eyes that chilled my bones. Or, more accurately, perhaps it was the lack of something in her eyes that set me on edge. Her orange eyes were cold… empty almost.

"Silk," Ripper meowed, giving the cat a nod of respect. "We've brought you back trespassers that we found at the river."

"Trespassers? Not defectors?" Silk meowed, her bright orange eyes flicking over me and Wolfshade as carelessly as one might glance at a dirty mushroom.

Her voice was quiet and as silky as her name, smooth and almost soothing sounding.

"Not defectors from the Eastern side at least," the ginger tom in the patrol said.

"The Western? The Southern?" Silk asked, casting a glance at two other cats.

One was a solid black tom with a slightly greying muzzle, the other was a younger mostly white tom, but with black tail and a black spots on his face.

They both shook their heads, and I felt a small jolt of surprise at how closely they resembled each other when performing that uniform movement.

 _They must be related._

"I don't recognize them," the white and black tom said, in a strangely smooth-sounding voice for his large form.

"Me neither," the black tom grunted, in a much more harsh and grating tone.

"And, not from the Northern side, I presume?" Silk meowed, glancing back at Ripper.

"No," Ripper meowed.

"Hm," Silk said.

Her beautiful face was completely smooth, devoid of any expression. Only a small, single tail twitch demonstrated any thought. Silk turned, beginning to pace in front of me and Wolfshade. As she turned, I noticed a long pink scar on her left side, starting at her shoulder and running all the way down her flank. It was the only imperfection on her whole, stunning form. The only defect in her otherwise perfect white pelt.

"Why are you on my territory?" Silk said, casting a glance at Wolfshade and I out of the corner of her eye.

"It was an accident," I meowed. "We got lost while journeying and slipped into the river."

"We haven't stolen any prey," Wolfshade added.

"Where are you from?" Silk asked, still pacing.

"Downstream," Wolfshade said.

"Liar," Silk meowed, stopping suddenly in front of him.

I felt a jolt at the certain, unrepentant accusation.

A murmur went through the gathered cats. They cast glances at each other, before turning angry gazes on us. I looked at Ripper. He stood silently a few tail length's behind Silk. His orange gaze unwaveringly held mine, but he made no move to speak.

Wolfshade gazed down at Silk in silence. Despite Wolfshade being a good bit taller than her, I still felt a surge of nervousness as I looked at Silk. I didn't doubt that she could do some serious damage with her dainty white paws.

"I've been all over this city, and all along it's borders and outskirts. Do you know what's immediately downstream from this city?" Silk asked Wolfshade.

Wolfshade didn't reply, but he didn't have to since Silk answered for him.

"Corn," Silk meowed. "Fields and fields of it. Two-legs love the stuff for some reason. If you came from that direction, then there is no way you could have missed it. But, I don't smell a bit of it on either of your pelts."

"The river must have washed the scent away," I meowed.

Silk's orange gaze flickered from Wolfshade and onto me.

"Good try, but I don't believe you either," Silk meowed, padding over to me. "So, tell me, where are you really from?"

"Downstream," I said in a flat voice.

"Liar," Silk repeated softly, gazing into my eyes.

I felt my heart begin to beat a bit harder.

"If you are lying, the only reason must be that you have something worth protecting," Silk meowed, narrowing her eyes at me. "What is it?"

"My kits," I blurted out.

I saw Silk's eyes widen in surprise.

"Our kits," I added, flicking my tail at Wolfshade.

I shot a glance at him and was relieved to see that he still looked straight-faced, not a hint of surprise on his expression.

"We left our kits with my sister and her kits to go out to look for new territory," I meowed. "Once we found better hunting grounds, we were going to return to bring them with us."

"So… you're not from downstream?" Silk meowed slowly.

"No," I said. "I lied because I didn't want your cats to find and hurt my kits."

"I see," Silk said quietly, her orange gaze growing distant. "Doing anything for your kits, that is something that I understand."

Silk's eyes snapped back into focus, and she cast a suspicious glance at me and Wolfshade.

"Why do you need new hunting grounds?" she meowed. "You look well fed."

"The prey runs well," I said, the lies coming more and more easily the longer I spoke. "But, there are a lot of two-legs and their dogs in the area. It's not a safe place for young kits to be."

Silk nodded.

"How old are your kits?" she asked.

"One moon old," I said.

She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Then why do I not smell milk on your pelt?" she said with a growl.

I felt my stomach drop, and I opened my jaws, but before I could even say anything else, the angry yowls of the rogues around me drowned out all other noise.

Silk raised her long, thin white tail.

"Silence!" she snapped. "Do you want all the two-legs in the city baring down on us?"

The rogues fell silent at her command quickly. Silk turned back to me, her orange eyes wide and unblinking, and her movements almost eerily smooth, reminiscent of a snake. She gazed at me. I stared back, trying and failing to mask how my legs were shaking with exhaustion and a bit of fear.

"You're clever, I'll give you that," Silk said to me.

This time her voice was quiet enough that only Wolfshade and I were standing near enough to hear her speak.

"You would have had me fooled if you hadn't gotten tripped up on their age," Silk murmured. "Somehow you figured out that I've had kits before. You saw that possible sympathy in me as a weakness, and you exploited it."

Silk tilted her head to the side to gaze at me, but now instead of her look dismissing me like trash, she studied me with fascination.

"Interesting…" She meowed. "You almost remind me of myself when I was young."

I glared at Silk, clenching my jaw at the comparison.

"What is your name?" Silk asked.

"Lightningfire," I rumbled through clenched teeth.

"'Lightningfire,'" Silk echoed. "Unusual."

"So, are you going to tell me the truth now of where you're from now?" Silk asked. "My point from before still stand: you must be protecting something. Although now I know its not your kits."

"I won't tell you anything," I said, staring at her with defiance in my eyes.

Silk's whiskers twitched and I saw a faint look of amusement appear on her face.

"At least you aren't lying to me anymore," Silk said. "Although, you may think that now, but you will tell us."

Silk twitched her tail, signaling the large black tom over. He stood at Silk's shoulder, towering over both me and her; he was even taller than Wolfshade. At this close perspective, I could clearly evaluate his menacing form, and his heavily scarred pelt. My gaze drifted upwards to his face. He had shredded ears and piercing blue eyes, but I noticed one was blind, having been slashed through with long claws. I swallowed hard, raising my chin like the sight of him didn't make my stomach clench with nervousness.

"Dragon," Silk meowed.

The black tom, Dragon, twitched a torn ear in her direction in response, waiting patiently for her command.

"Start with the tom," Silk said, her bright orange eyes empty.

Dragon silently turned towards Wolfshade, unsheathing his claws.


	66. Chapter 65: Torture

I saw the muscles tense under Wolfshade's pelt as he prepared to fight despite the exhaustion that ringed his eyes. My heart hammered as I unsheathed my claws, ready to leap to his defense. But, Dragon did not move to attack.

"Let me tell you how this is going to work," Silk meowed, pulling my attention back to her. "One of you will answer my questions. If you fail to answer to my satisfaction, Dragon will punish you."

Silk's orange gaze flickered from Wolfshade to me back to Wolfshade.

"Understand?" she meowed. "Answer truthfully, and no one has to get hurt."

"If you think we will just let you claw us up without a fight, you're wrong," I growled, taking a stiff step towards Silk, my fur bristling up and down my back.

Silk's gaze flickered to me.

"Riley. Lady. Come here," Silk meowed.

The big ginger tom and the black-and-white she-cat from the patrol that captured me and Wolfshade stalked over to me.

"Hold her," Silk ordered.

I let out a snarl of protest as the two cats pressed themselves on either side of me. I turned, growling at Riley, the ginger tom, as I felt Lady claw at my shoulder, dragging me a bit of a ways from Wolfshade. I squirmed, trying to free myself, but after almost drowning, then so much walking, I was in no state to battle the two powerful cats. I saw fury start to smolder in Wolfshade's green eyes, and he turned, taking a step towards me.

"If you move one more muscle, or fight back at all when Dragon punishes you, I will have them kill her," Silk meowed to him.

My heart hammered as I stared at Wolfshade. He had froze at her words, his gaze locked on mine. I saw a blank look of resignation fill his eyes. He gave a stiff nod, firmly planting himself in place with his paws.

"Wolfshade, no," I gasped.

Wolfshade didn't respond.

"First question: why are you lying about where you are from?" Silk meowed.

Wolfshade didn't even look at her. He continued to stare at me in silence, his mouth firmly clamped shut. Silk nodded at Dragon.

"No!" I spat, shoving forward, fighting viciously against the cats that held me.

Dragon's huge paw went swinging through the air, smacking Wolfshade firmly against the side of his face. The blow knocked Wolfshade to the ground. As he struggled to regain his footing, Dragon kicked him in the side once, twice, three times. Wolfshade wheezed on the ground, spitting a mixture of blood and saliva onto the dirt.

"We lied to protect our family!" I meowed.

Dragon stopped hitting Wolfshade. Wolfshade panted laboriously on the ground, paws trembling.

"We don't have kits," I continued. "But, we do have a Clan. A group of family and friends that we care about, and we don't want you to hurt."

Silk looked at me.

"What is this 'clan?'" she meowed.

"A group of cats that live a work together," I said. "We take care of each other."

"Who is in it?" Silk asked.

"My parents, my siblings, our friends," I said, my brow furrowing, not sure why she cared to know.

"Can outsiders join?" Silk meowed.

I hesitated, my gaze narrowing as my thoughts picked up the pattern of her questioning.

 _Oh no. She wants to know if we have any of her defectors._

"Yes, if prove themselves to be loyal," Wolfshade rasped, pulling himself back to his paws from the ground.

I shot a glance at Wolfshade, trying to warn him with my eyes.

"What outsider cats have joined your Clan?" Silk meowed, turning to Wolfshade.

"There were some former rogues that joined some moons ago…" Wolfshade meowed in his deep voice.

"Their names," Silk ordered.

Wolfshade's eyes narrowed. He didn't know that Whisperheart, Iceshiver, and Tatteredtail were from here, but he was intelligent enough to find Silk's pointed interest in them suspicious.

Wolfshade opened his jaws.

"Don't," I hissed.

Wolfshade glanced at me, and he immediately shut his mouth again.

Silk's gaze snapped to me. She stalked over, the white fur on her back bristling slightly.

"Who are these cats?" Silk hissed, standing nose to nose with me.

I stared at her unflinchingly.

The next thing I knew, my ears were ringing and the taste of dirt was in my mouth. Silk's paw had flashed out of nowhere to powerfully cuff me over the head, knocking me to the ground. I gasped as I felt needle-sharp claws prick threateningly at my throat, just breaking the skin.

"Tell me," Silk growled, her breath stirring the fur in my ear as she lowered her head to mine.

"No," I said with a snarl, but my snarl became a choked gasp as Silk increased the pressure of her paw on my throat.

My heart hammered as the edges of my vision started to go black as I struggled to breathe in.

"Stop!" I heard Wolfshade cry. "I'll tell you."

The pressure on my neck alleviated some as Silk lifted her paw a bit and glanced at Wolfshade. I took a trembling breath. I looked at Wolfshade. He gazed at me with a pained expression on his face. I shook my head at him, but he looked away. I felt my heart sink. He had to tell her because he could not watch me suffer. But, I knew I couldn't be upset at him for doing so.

 _Because I'd do the same for him._

"Their names are Whisperheart, Iceshiver, and Tatteredtail," Wolfshade meowed quietly.

"Whisper, Shiver, and Tattered," the white cat with the black tail and the black spots on his face spoke up. "I know those names. They were from my sector, the Southern side."

"Defectors," Silk hissed.

A chorus of angry yowls, growls, and hisses rose up from the lieutenants surrounding us.

"They were the first to leave!" a dark tabby tom shouted from the crowd. "They are the reason why all the other low-ranking cats started running out of the city."

"It's their fault!" a tortoiseshell she-cat cried.

"They're the reason why we're hungry!" the grey tom, Ghost snarled. "Having to do our own hunting!"

Silk looked back down at me.

"Where is your Clan? Where are you keeping them?" she asked.

"I'll never tell you," I rasped, my throat aching. "Neither will Wolfshade. Torture us all you want. We will both die for our Clan."

Silk narrowed her eyes.

"We will get it out of you," she growled. "I will kill you if I must… to get your companion to talk."

I let out a purr of dark, bitter amusement. I saw a look of surprise appear on Silk's face at my laughter.

"Go ahead. If you kill me, then Wolfshade will surely never tell you," I growled up at her. "He can be spiteful like that. We will both die in silence."

I saw thoughts flickering in Silk's harsh orange eyes.

"Then you won't die. At least, by my paw," she whispered. "But, you will talk eventually. Cats grow desperate when their bellies are empty, and their mouths are dry of water, and they are cramped and cold and alone."

I glared up at her, feeling a trickle of cold fear run through my veins at her ominous tone. Words Ripper once told me when he was SkyClan's prisoner echoed in my ears.

 _"Why are you being so kind to me?" he had asked._

 _"What are you talking about?" I had replied. "You're our prisoner. I don't think feeding you and keeping you alive really qualifies as 'kind.'"_

 _"If you think that," he had growled. "Then you definitely don't want to see my 'mean.'"_

"Ripper," Silk called, beaconing him over with a flick of her tail. "You and your brother, escort these two to the Dead Oak. Put them in separate root dens there, and set a guard."

"Yes Silk," Ripper meowed, dipping his head to her, then moving to stand at Wolfshade's side.

"Dark," Ripper called to the white tom with the black tail, nodding to him.

As Dark approached me to be my escort, I watched him with thinly disguised interest.

 _Ripper's brother._

His white and black pelt was not especially similar to Ripper's light brown tabby and white one, and neither was his bright blue gaze in comparison to Ripper's orange. His pelt was also not nearly as scarred as Ripper's although it wasn't completely free of marks either. But, I did notice the two had the same wide-shouldered silhouettes, and the same upward tilt to their eyes. As Dark walked over to me with a spring in his step, and a swish of his black tail, it seemed to me, that while in someways, the upturned eyes on Ripper simply made him look mischievous, on Dark it made him look playfully cruel, like he was delighting in the horror of the situation Wolfshade and I were in.

Silk backed away from me to allow Dark to my side. He prodded me with a large white paw.

"Get up," he meowed in his strange, smooth tones.

I obeyed him, struggling to my paws. Wolfshade and I were escorted back through the crowd of cats towards the thorn tunnel, Ripper on one side and Dark on the other. Wolfshade limped along beside me, his breathing rasping and uneven. I cast a worried look over his body, but it seemed nothing on him appeared too injured—he was just sore and bruised all over. My ears were still ringing, and I had a nasty headache, but I was still functional enough to pad along. The lieutenants around us hissed and jeered. I could not spot a single friendly face among any in the crowd. I glanced over at Ripper. He had his gaze locked straight ahead, his face expressionless. I swallowed, fixing my gaze on the ground.

We brushed through the thorn tunnel, then were led through the unfamiliar trees of the Park. I could scent other cats out here, but I did not see many. I caught a brief glance of a grey and white she-cat slinking out of our way through a patch of bracken. The she-cat was thinner than the other city cats that I have seen and not as strongly muscled either. She avoided Ripper and Dark's gazes as we went past.

 _She's probably not a lieutenant. But, she still must be high-ranking to be allowed to live in the Park._

My brow furrowed as we continued to pad along. The city cats' odd way of ranking and policing each other seemed so strange to me. I was still trying to wrap my mind around it.

We walked through the woods for a while more, but eventually came across the Dead Oak not too far from the bramble-enclosed Queen's Camp.

The old oak tree must have been towering and magnificent in life. The base was huge—fox-lengths upon fox-lengths all the way around, with twisting roots radiating in the dirt in a halo around the trunk. But, the tree was missing its upper half, having been broken in two long, long ago.

I gazed at the huge tree, shuddering at the thought of what was powerful enough to snap something so massive in half. Ripper and Dark guided us right up to the twisted, knobby roots, heading towards a tiny gap between two of them. I tried peering into the tunnel, but it was too dark for me to make anything out in it. I glanced at Wolfshade, and our gazes met. The sight of his face was comforting.

"Get in there," Dark meowed, shoving Wolfshade towards the narrow root tunnel.

Wolfshade shot me a final glance over his shoulder.

 _It will be okay,_ his familiar green eyes said.

I nodded, putting on a brave face for him. I watched Wolfshade's tail be swallowed by the shadows as he stumbled into the tangled den in the roots.

"You're next," Dark meowed, turning towards me.

"I'll get her," Ripper meowed, drawing Dark's gaze to him.

I looked at Ripper, my ears pricking with interest.

"You go get someone to come be their guard. Like maybe Flint or Ghost. I'll stay here and watch them until the guard shows up," Ripper continued.

"Oh I see..." Dark said, glancing back at me, his blue eyes glinting. "She is a pretty one, isn't she, Ripper?"

I felt a surge of white-hot fury. Moving with more speed than I thought I was capable of in my bruised and exhausted state, I lunged, racking my claws across Dark's ears with a vicious hiss. He reacted by recoiling, but only for a instant. Then he slammed back into me, knocking to me to ground in one blow. I panted from the ground, the taste of dirt in my mouth once again.

 _Beaten again._

Even with all of my warrior's training, I was no match for these cats in my exhausted state. I desperately needed rest. I looked up at Dark, waiting to see what he would do to me.

To my surprise, he started to laugh.

"That hurt," he said, touching the new nick I put in his ear with his paw.

He shook his head, still purring softly to himself.

"Well Ripper, I'll leave her to you," Dark said, padding away.

He winked at Ripper.

"Hopefully you're not too clawed up when I get back," he meowed.

Ripper did not respond. In fact, I thought his face looked rather stormy at his brother's words. Dark strode off with a wave of his tail, seemingly not put off by Ripper's dark mood.

I slowly pulled myself back to my feet, spitting dirt out of my mouth. I glanced over at Ripper. Ripper stood there in silence, his gaze locked on the forest rather than on me. I watched him for a bit before deciding to sit.

It was odd.

 _I'm not sure I've been around Ripper for so long without him speaking._

"You're an idiot," Ripper meowed finally, abruptly breaking the silence around us.

"Excuse me?" I meowed, the fur on my back rising.

"What on earth are you doing here?" he said, turning to look at me from over his shoulder.

"I don't want to be here in this city! It was an accident!" I said hotly.

"You do realize that you are not coming out of those root dens again?" Ripper hissed, whirling on me.

I leaned back; his nose was so close to mine.

"I've seen cats upon cats _die_ in there. Trapped. No food. No water. If your thirst or starvation doesn't get you first, the cramped space and the darkness will drive you mad," Ripper said. "And, before you die, you will do anything to stop the suffering. You will tell Silk _everything._ "

Ripper shook his head.

"Why didn't you just tell her where the defectors are?" he asked. "You should have just answered her questions! Silk can be fair if you comply."

"I was trying to save my friends," I said with a hiss.

"You should have been concentrating on saving yourself," Ripper spat, the fur on his back bristling. "Silk will not rest until the defectors have been captured, brought back, and executed. You've put your whole Clan in danger. Your real friends and family."

"Those ' _defectors'_ are my Clan," I said, lashing my tail in anger as Ripper glared at me.

Ripper was silent for a moment, his orange eyes glowing with heat.

"You never told me about them. The whole time I spent in the Clan. You lied to me," Ripper said in a quiet voice.

"I lied to a murderous rogue! What a surprise!" I snapped.

"That's all you think of me?" he growled. "A murderous rogue?"

I got to my paws, pressing my nose almost right to his.

"That's all you've been!" I hissed, our gazes burning into each other's.

Ripper's eyes flashed.

"Fine. If it is, then I will lead Silk to your Clan myself," Ripper spat, straightening and turning around.

 _"Turn-coat,"_ I hissed.

"It's not betrayal when I was never on your side, beautiful," Ripper hissed over his shoulder in reply, our gazes meeting once again.

But, his orange eyes no longer burned. They looked cold. They were empty. They looked just like… Silk's.

"Get in the roots," Ripper said, breaking eye contact and nodding towards a different tunnel than the one Wolfshade went into.

Without another word, I turned away from him and disappeared into the darkness of the twisting tunnel.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Yes, if you guessed it from the name and description of his appearance, Dark is supposed to be a young Darktail. I started writing this story/had its plot planned out long before the character Darktail was introduced. (I've been working on these characters since "SkyClan's Destiny," in fact, so 7 years!) But, when I read "The Apprentice's Quest," I thought it might be fun to have Darktail make a brief cameo in my fanfic. Obviously though, the plot-lines about SkyClan from The Vision of Shadows arc do not aline with what is happening in my fanfiction (although Lightning's Destiny does occur sometime before The Vision of Shadows arc, so I guess hypothetically it all could occur in the future. I imagine Lightning's Destiny is probably happening around the end of the New Prophecy, maybe the start of the Power of Three arcs.) Also, I have not read "Hawking's Journey," or "Thunder and Shadow," so I know almost nothing about what happened in those books/Darktail's origins (if they are explained.) So, this is just my version of Darktail's backstory :)_

 _Reviews: First of all, I want to apologize for sometimes being bad at replying to reviews, but I wanted to say that I really do read and appreciate them! You guys are great :) I'm thinking about starting to do a little blurb at the end of my chapters when I update, where I address the reviews from the previous chapter, so without further ado, here we go!_

 _Princessaurora2004: Thank you! Yes, the plot is definitely starting to pick up now, it's pretty much all downhill from here (Oo typing that out sounded rather ominous.) But, I'm really excited to watch all of the pieces start to fall together!_

 _Brian: Haha, yes, Wolfshade and Lightningfire have gotten themselves into quite the mess, haven't they?_

 _Hazelbreeze: Thanks so much! Haha, sometimes I even feel bad for all the terrible stuff that I put Wolfshade and Lightningfire through :( But, the life of a warrior is tough. And, to answer your question from my other story Frosted Heart, Lightning's Destiny is my main project, but I will switch over to working mostly on Frosted Heart once I complete it._

 _Lovethisstory: Aw thank you! Thanks for reading :)_

 _BrightMind: Thank you for all your great reviews! They are always so thoughtful, I love reading them!_

 _Also, I have a question for all of you guys: I know that I just officially introduced Silk a chapter ago, but she is a very interesting character to me. And, she may seem only to be a ruthless Queen of the rogues right now, but she was not always this way. She actually has a rather tragic backstory. As Lightning's Destiny continues, I will be able to hint at it (and have already started ;) in someways to hint at it,) but, since this story is told through Lightningfire's eyes, I will not be able to explore it as fully as I would like. So, my question is: Would you guys be interesting in reading either a short story, or a comic (I haven't decided which I want to do) that explores Silk's past and the creation of the city cat group? If there is interest, I may start to work on it!_


	67. Chapter 66: Tunnels

I padded through the twisting, narrow tunnel, my breaths echoing off of the walls around me. Here my eyes were completely useless. The only thing guiding me forward was the feel of the air on my whiskers and the musty taste of dirt on my tongue. As I walked, the tunnel felt endless, like I had been wandering for ages. There were sometimes forks in the path, and I picked one or the other without much thought. Yet, for some reason, I kept expecting to round a corner and see a glimmer of sunlight ahead, even though my eyes were only greeted by darkness each time. These earthen tunnels reminded me a bit of the tunnel that led to the Whispering Cave, but in this blackness I did not feel a hint of the presence of my ancestors. Only the pressing cold of darkness.

I turned another sharp corner, the tunnel wrapping in around itself. I sniffed, padding through the blackness, and picking up only the scent of mud and my own scent.

… _My own scent?_

A prickle of concern ran down my spine. I turned my head to look around in confusion, but of course, I could not see anything around me.

 _Have I already gone this way?_

The fur on my shoulders raised slightly. I took a deep breath, attempting to calm myself as I felt my heart rate picking up.

 _So what if I've already gone this way? There's only more tunnel in any direction that I choose. Why does it matter which way I go?_

I took only a few steps forward before hesitating again.

The walls and ceiling were starting to feel stifling and oppressive. Like any second, the dirt tunnel would come crashing down on top of me. My breaths were steadily growing shallower and faster. I tried to slow them, but I couldn't. I felt like I was choking, like the dirt was clogging my mouth, filling my lungs. The tunnels around me felt alive. They pulsed, slowly and sluggishly with a smothering and malicious energy, wrapping their sticky dark arms around me, twisting and squeezing, leaving me gasping and suffocating in their grip. I crouched down, my fur bushed out, my chest heaving, the stale air frantically rushing in and out of my mouth, my heart pounding wildly in my ears. I shot forward, panickedly running through the tunnels, my paws tearing up the mud under me.

My flying paw-steps echoed loudly around me, making it sound like hundreds of cats were charging through the tunnels, chasing after me. I blinked hard several times as I sprinted, the roaring of the paw-steps stealing my hearing, so now I was deaf along with blind. My breath heaving in my mouth, I was so distracted by the pounding of the paw-steps that I wasn't paying any attention to where my legs were taking me. Luckily, my whiskers flashed a warning as I almost ran smack into the wall, as the tunnel curved sharply to the left. Paws scrambling in the mud, I made a sharp turn, unsheathing my claws and digging them into the cold dirt to better propel myself forward. I went charging down the new direction, my mouth dry, my legs aching, my heart feeling as though it was about to pound right out of my chest—

 _"Lightningfire?"_

I came to an ungraceful, stumbling stop, almost tripping over my own paws in my haste to slow down.

"…Wolf— Wolfshade?" I croaked, my voice rasping through my dry throat and loud pants.

I half-thought that I had only imagined the voice—picking out the sound in the pounding of my paw-steps, trying to make a voice that I desperately wanted to hear out of meaningless noises.

"Lightningfire, I'm over here!"

I felt a warm spark of hope appear in my chest, chasing away the oppressive cold that was pressing all down on me.

 _It was him!_

"Where!" I meowed, padding forward on shaking legs.

"I'm coming!" he meowed, his voice sounding a bit louder.

"Me too!" I yowled, leaping forward more quickly.

"…Lightningfire?"

His voice was fainter again. Like he was more far away for some reason.

"Wolfshade?" I meowed in confusion. "Where are you?"

"Where are _you?"_ he echoed, his voice muffled and distant, so I had to strain my ears to hear him. "These tunnels all look the same."

"Take a few paw-steps back the way you came!" I meowed.

"Okay," I heard him say.

I did the same, taking four large paw-steps backwards.

"I did it," Wolfshade said, his voice more clear now.

"You sound louder," I meowed.

"You do too," Wolfshade said, sounding encouraged.

"I think you must be in a different tunnel that is next to mine," I meowed, sweeping my gaze over where I knew the wall to be, even though I couldn't see it.

"How do we get to each other?" he asked.

"I don't know," I meowed.

"I can look to see if I can find where they connect," Wolfshade said.

I felt the fur on my back raise slightly.

"No!" I meowed quickly, a hint of panic in my voice.

"No?" he echoed in confusion.

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out for a moment as my heart pounded more quickly in my chest again.

"I— I don't want you to leave me alone," I managed to say finally. "These tunnels— they— I—"

"It's okay. I won't leave you, Lightningfire," he said, the sound of his voice soothing me as much as his words.

I heard a faint sound of scratching. I padded forward two more steps, so that the scratching sound was right next to me.

"Mousedung," I heard Wolfshade curse.

"These walls are all packed dirt and twisted roots. I don't think we can dig through them," he said.

"We'll figure a way out," I meowed.

I sat down, pressing my flank against the cold wall. Knowing Wolfshade was just on the other side comforted me, even though a little part of me whispered in despair that there was no way to get to him.

"…I'm afraid that this is my fault Wolfshade," I whispered to the wall of roots that separated us.

"What do you mean?" he replied in a quiet voice himself, sounding slightly muffled. "…For us ending up here, being swept down the river?"

"Yes," I said, sighing.

"The ground was soft and wet, and the river was high from all the rain-fall. That's not your fault," Wolfshade meowed.

"No, you don't understand," I meowed.

I looked down at my paws even though I couldn't see them. I swallowed hard.

"There is this prophecy, Wolfshade," I said. "A prophecy about me."

Wolfshade was silent.

"It says _Lightning sears and scorches all in its path._ That's me. _I'm_ Lightning. I sear and scorch. These bad things that happen… I think they are my fault," I meowed.

I heard Wolfshade give a snort of amusement.

"Prophecy or no prophecy, you don't control the weather, Lightningfire," Wolfshade said. "If you are claiming to have caused the storms that led to the flooding of the river, then I'm going to have to go over there and knock some sense into you."

"I'm being serious," I said, swallowing back a lump of despair that suddenly rose in my throat. "If I had not run away from camp, then you wouldn't have followed me, and we wouldn't be here!"

"That's called bad luck, Lightning," Wolfshade said soothingly.

He was silent for a moment. I stared at the wall that separated us, wishing that I was able to see his face

"I'm sorry to break it to you… but not everything is about _you,_ Lightningfire," Wolfshade said, his voice gently teasing. "Sometimes bad things happen, and no cat caused it. Even if there is a prophecy about you."

"But, because there is a prophecy about me, shouldn't I be better?" I meowed, my brow furrowing. "Shouldn't I be able to do things other cats can't? Shouldn't I prevent bad things from happening instead of causing them?"

"Lightningfire," Wolfshade meowed. "This prophecy…You aren't who you are because of it. You were given the prophecy because of who you are."

I looked down at my paws, confusion swirling in me.

"I don't understand," I meowed.

"Believe me, Lightningfire, when I say you are a great cat," Wolfshade meowed. "But, the prophecy isn't what makes you a great cat. You just are. StarClan must have known that, so they decided to tell us so."

"A great cat that causes great problems," I muttered with a bitter purr.

"You put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect," Wolfshade meowed, a bit of firmness in his voice. "There has never been a cat who walked this earth who was perfect, and there will never be a cat born who is either. You are not perfect, Lightningfire. You cannot hunt enough prey by yourself to keep the whole Clan fed. You cannot patrol every border. You cannot train every apprentice. You cannot heal every ill clan-mate."

I stared down at my paws, his words hitting me hard like physical blows to my chest.

"You are not perfect. You make mistakes just like everyone else. But, that's okay," Wolfshade said.

I heard him shift through the wall, like he was pressing against the roots to try to be closer to me.

"What makes you a great cat is that you will always _try,"_ he said. "You always try to do what is right."

"But, you have clan-mates. You have me," Wolfshade continued. "I will help you. You don't have to do it alone."

I looked down at my feet, feeling that my paws were trembling.

"You really think I'm like that?" I whispered. "Even though there have been times when things have gone bad? When Bouncefire died? Or, when I tried to do what I thought was right by letting Ripper go, but now we've ended up here?"

"Yes," Wolfshade said.

"But, the prophecy says…" I meowed quietly.

"The prophecy doesn't control you," Wolfshade meowed quietly. "You are not a bad cat, Lightningfire. And, no prophecy can turn you into one. What makes you who you are is what's inside of you. And, nothing else."

"Besides, how do you know the prophecy means you cause bad things?" Wolfshade asked. "Couldn't you be blazing a path for our Clan to follow instead? Protecting us from threats?"

I was silent, not knowing how to respond.

"…I suppose," I meowed finally.

"Everything is going to be okay," Wolfshade said reassuringly, trying to combat the hesitance in my voice.

 _How do you know that?_

But, I didn't voice my doubts. Discouraging Wolfshade would not be productive for either of us.

"Yes. We'll escape," I said. "And, make it back home."

I felt my stomach clench in hunger, but there was no food for us here in the tunnels. Also now that I wasn't moving, I could feel every muscle aching acutely with exhaustion. A fog of tiredness started to settle over my mind.

I lowered myself slowly to the cold ground.

"We should rest for now," I muttered. "So that we can preserve as much strength as we can."

"Good idea," Wolfshade meowed. "Then we'll come up with a plan."

"Yes," I meowed, my eyes shutting. "…Wolfshade?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I love you," I said. "I just wanted to say it without me falling down a waterfall afterward."

I heard Wolfshade purr softly.

"I love you too, Lightningfire," Wolfshade said.

"Good," I murmured, a purr rumbling quietly in my throat for a moment before I drifted off into sleep.

* * *

I was jolted awake as I heard a faint, pained yowl echo down the root tunnel.

Then silence.

I froze, raising my head from the ground.

"Wolfshade," I hissed, trying to keep my voice low, but loud enough for him to hear me through the wall.

I was painfully aware how my words echoed down the tunnel and towards whatever caused that cry.

"I'm here," I heard him say in reply, his words so hushed that I had to strain my ears to pick them out.

"What's going on?" I said in a worried murmur, pressing my side to the dirt wall, wishing for the comforting brush of his flank against mine as my eyes frantically searched the blackness ahead.

"I don't know," he muttered.

My ears pricked as I heard the muffled rush of many paw-steps. I crouched down, unsheathing my claws, the fur down my back bristling. Because of the nature of the tunnels, it was impossible to tell where the sound was coming from; in front of me, behind, or not even in my tunnel at all but an adjacent one. But, I could tell that the paw-steps were getting louder, and closer, pounding over the dirt.

I whirled to face the wall as I heard Wolfshade give a angry, challenging snarl, which abruptly cut off, leaving only thundering silence.

 _"Wolfshade!"_ I yowled, no longer caring to be quiet, as I threw myself at the wall, clawing at the roots and the dirt that separated us.

I could feel my heart pounding in my throat, sending my blood racing frantically through my veins, roaring in my ears, my muscles burning with fire.

"I'm alright, Lightningfire," Wolfshade said in a surprisingly calm voice, sending a flood of relief through me. "It's okay."

Feeling my heart rate slow a bit, I pulled myself off of the wall, claws clogged with dirt. I could still hear the loud sound of paw-steps, but Wolfshade didn't sound afraid.

"What is it?" I asked him.

Suddenly a familiar scent wafted over me, as one of the set of paw-steps reached me. The paw-steps were revealed to belong to a large cat, who in the darkness, almost ran smack into my side. I turned to face the cat, and even though the blackness swallowed all of his form, I knew exactly what his dark ginger pelt looked like. I knew the shape of his broad head and the shade of his serious green eyes.

"It's your rescue," Sharpclaw answered.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry for not being active for a while. This last month or so has been pretty hard on me since I was busy with finishing up the semester/finals and pretty stressed with other things. But, anyways, that's over, and it's summer now! So, I promise there will be more frequent updates! Also I'm glad to see that you guys would be interested in Silk's backstory! I've already started working on it, and I decided to do a short story rather than a comic because I thought drawing it would be too intensive on me. That will be released sometime this summer as well!_

 _Now to the reviews:_

 _Hazelbreeze: Darktail is a character from the newest warrior cats series "A Vision of Shadows." I haven't read it all yet, but it's supposed to be good! I decided to incorporate him into my story, although his role is very minor. And, thanks! Sorry for the slow update though._

 _Brian: Haha yeah Ripper is pretty angry at Lightningfire right now. We'll see if he ever comes around… he's not the one busting her out of this rogue camp though. And, you're on the right track about Silk, although thing are a bit more complicated than even Ripper knows… Everything will be revealed in her story though!_

 _Firecat21870: Great!_

 _FerncloudLover: Thanks a lot! I appreciate everyone's reviews! And, Ripper's role in this story is definitely not done yet. And, Silk doesn't necessarily enjoy torturing cats, but her life has made her cruel and willing to do whatever it takes for her to survive and keep her power._

 _DarkPitchBlack: Ripper's a bit too angry with Lightningfire to help her right now. Haha even if he wasn't, Ripper's the type of cat that would let Lightningfire go, but keep Wolfshade prisoner and call it "even." Unless, Lightningfire could have talked him into letting them both escape._

 _dothdomarvelous: Wow! Haha that's a lot to read all at once! I'm sorry that you caught up then I took so long to update haha. But, thank you so much for your nice review! I hope you continue reading and liking it :)_

 _Princessaurora2004: Yeah you're exactly right! It remains to be seen what Lightningfire is going to do with this information though…_


	68. Chapter 67: Rescued?

"Follow me. I marked the path back," Sharpclaw meowed, turning and running back the way he came down the tunnel.

I dashed after him, heart pounding in a mixture of anxiety and excitement. As I followed him, guided by his scent and the occasional reassuring flick of his tail on my muzzle, I could feel deliberate claw marks under my pads, scored deeply into the ground— the trail Sharpclaw left for us to follow back to the surface.

"How did you find us?" I meowed.

"We noticed you and Wolfshade were missing yesterday. Leafstar sent out a patrol. Followed your scent trail to the collapsed cliff. Followed the river until we picked your scent up with a bunch of other, nasty smelling cats. Followed that here. Avoided or fought any cats in our way. But, best for us to get going as fast as possible because I doubt these rogues will like us stealing you from out from under their noses," Sharpclaw said, giving me the briefest outline he could.

"How in StarClan's name did you even manage to track our scent all the way here?" I asked.

"It was all Whisperheart really. Even I couldn't pick up your scent with all these thunder-paths and two-leg smells," he admitted. "But, she didn't seem to have an issue."

My eyes widened in understanding.

 _Whisperheart is on the patrol! She would have known the city and where the rogues kept us without even having to follow our scent trail._

I felt the fur on my back rise slightly.

 _But, the rogues will kill her if they catch us._

"These rogues are vicious," I panted. "They tortured Wolfshade and I. There's a lot of them. They'll do the same to the rest of us if they catch us. We need to get out of here fast."

"Are you two okay?" Sharpclaw said, concern in his deep voice.

"Nothing too injured," I meowed. "Just scratches and aches. Mostly we're hungry and exhausted."

"Then we move as quickly as you two can manage and get out of this StarClan-forsaken two-leg place," Sharpclaw meowed curtly.

As we dashed through the tunnel, weaving through twists and turns, in the distance I saw the faintest pin-prick of light, illuminating Sharpclaw's silhouette in front of me. I felt a huge surge of relief at the sight of the daylight, and my paws shook slightly as I stumbled towards it, my eyes squinting as I emerged from the tunnel. As my eyes adjusted, I managed to crack them open a bit more. It was a sunny day, a little after sun-high.

"Sun-high?" I meowed to Sharpclaw in confusion.

"You and Wolfshade have been missing for around a day and a half," Sharpclaw said.

I blinked in surprise.

 _So, we were put in the tunnels before sun-down yesterday. Strange… it doesn't seem that long ago._

I shuddered slightly.

 _The tunnels must have been messing with my head._

There were a patrol of warriors waiting for us close to the massive tree. I followed Sharpclaw over to them at a brisk walk. The light was causing a headache and out here, I was more acutely aware of how weak and tired I felt, but I tried to keep my head high and my mind focused.

The patrol consisted of Mcgyver, Minttail, Creekfeather, Tinycloud, and Whisperheart. I gave a sigh of relief when I spotted that Wolfshade was there too. He blinked in a mixture of joy and relief as I padded over to him, and he gently touched his nose to mine. I let out a quiet mew of shock when I saw how swollen his face was from the beating he got yesterday.

I reached a paw out to softly touch his cheek.

"I'll be fine," he assured, gently pulling away from my touch.

"We need to get going. He'll wake up soon," Sharpclaw said, nodding towards a knocked out ginger and white cat, who I presumed was Wolfshade's and my guard.

"Yes. This way," Whisperheart said in her rasping voice, rising to her paws.

Although everyone on the patrol seemed nervous, she was definitely the most on edge… not that I could blame her for it. Whisperheart took the lead, bounding through the trees. The rest of the patrol followed. As I ran, I felt my heart begin to lighten with hope. Our clan found us. They saved us. Wolfshade and I were going home, and soon this nightmare would be nothing more than a distant memory.

 _Ripper._

The scarred face of the light brown and white tom appeared in my mind. I saw his orange eyes smoldering with rage as he looked at me.

 _Oh no. What do we do? He said he'd take the rogues to SkyClan's camp. I put everyone in danger. Oh StarClan, why did I let him go?_

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. I was in no state to go confront Ripper alone. But, we had to do something.

 _I have to tell Sharpclaw._

I grimaced.

 _Even if it means telling him what I've done._

"Sharpclaw, wait," I panted, running to the deputy's side.

Sharpclaw didn't slow, his long strides still eating up the ground as he ran through the trees. But, his gaze flickered over to meet mine in a silent inquiry.

 _"Ripper is here,"_ I hissed.

"What?" Sharpclaw said in a deep, confused meow, turning his head to me, his sharp green eyes wide with incredulousness.

"He knows where SkyClan territory is," I said, in a hushed and desperate voice. "We can escape. But, he will be able to lead the rogues straight into our territory, right after us."

"I don't understand," Sharpclaw said in a low, deep voice, his brow furrowing. "If he's here, if that's the case, why hasn't he bothered to lead them to our territory already?"

I looked away from him, staring out into the forest ahead instead.

"Because I caught Ripper the night that he escaped from our camp. But, after making him promise that he would never return to SkyClan territory and would remain forever in exile I… I let him go," I meowed quietly. "But, I saw him again here, and I don't think he believes that promise to be valid any more."

Sharpclaw was silent. I looked back over to him. He just continued to run, his face closed off and stormy looking.

"Sharpclaw. I'm sorry," I said.

"What's done is done," Sharpclaw meowed sharply. "The past cannot be changed."

"I know," I whispered, looking away from him again.

Sharpclaw was silent for a moment longer.

"…We continue back to our territory," Sharpclaw meowed.

"What?" I meowed in shock, my eyes widening.

"There are too many rogues," Sharpclaw said. "We have no idea where Ripper is. And, there is no way that we can fight all of the rogues to get to him."

"But, he will—" I protested.

"At least this way, we will be prepared if he leads the rogues to our territory," Sharpclaw said. "Right now, my priority is to get you and the rest of our patrol to safety."

I nodded. I saw the wisdom in his words, although it stung that I could not stop Ripper right now and correct my mistake. Sharpclaw glanced at me, reading the unhappiness in my expression.

"Don't worry young one," Sharpclaw rumbled to me in a rare moment of gentleness.

Then he lengthened his stride and matched his pace to Whisperheart's at the head of the patrol.

"I can smell the thunder-path!" Creekfeather meowed, his voice excited. "We must be close to leaving this StarClan-forsaken forest!"

"And, I smell trespassers!" a voice snarled from the bushes.

The fur on my back bristled as a large patrol of rogues, led by Ripper's brother Dark, came charging out of the undergrowth. There was no time to think. No time to move. No time to prepare.

"SkyClan attack!" Sharpclaw had just enough time to screech.

Then they were upon us.

I leapt into the fray with a battlecry on my lips. I barreled into the side of a black she-cat with torn ears. I winced as the jolt of the impact made my headache pound, but I sunk my fangs into her scruff anyways, clawing out big chunks of her fur. She buckled, throwing me off. I gave a gasp of pain as I was thrown onto the ground, bruising my already sore spots from yesterday. I quickly struggled back to my paws, being jostled by fighting cats on either side.

"You! Whisper!" I heard Dark snarl in his sickly smooth tones.

I turned towards his voice. He was facing off with Whisperheart. She crouched down, her eyes wide with terror, but she snarled up at him defiantly, her long ginger fur bushed out and her claws unsheathed.

"You will die, deserter!" Dark spat.

Dark sprung at her, claws stretched wide. She dodged, then sprung onto his back, snapping at his ears. Heart pounding, I dashed over to help her, darting around the other battling cats. Dark was reaching a paw up to try to claw Whisperheart off of his back, when I sprung at him, clamping my jaws onto that leg.

"Ow!" Dark snarled.

I released him and leapt away as he swiped at me. But, these last few days had left me in a bad shape, and my reflexes were slow. Even though I dodged back, I wasn't able to avoid his blow that cuffed me on the shoulder, sending me stumbling back into a cream tom. The tom turned on me, claws swiping. Panting hard, I ducked the blows, trying to back away enough to catch my breath. The tom sprung forward suddenly, bowling me over, knocking whatever remained of my breath from my lungs.

The cream tom loomed over me, his jaws stretched wide, revealing long gleaming fangs. I gazed up at him from the ground, my heart pounding wildly in my chest.

I felt another flash of pain as a different pair of jaws clamped onto my tail. We were getting torn to pieces.

 _This is it. We are done for. We're going to—_

"Retreat!"

Sharpclaw's commanding yowl tore through the air, reverberating through the trees.

At the sound of my deputy's cry, I summoned the last of my strength. Using the energy that I didn't even knew I had left, taken from some deep crevice of my being, I surged upwards with a kick of my powerful hind legs, shaking off my attackers. As the cream tom stumbled back and away from me, I scrambled to my paws and made a beeline after the retreating forms of Mcgyver, Minttail, and Creekfeather, tearing through the Park. I was relieved to see that Wolfshade was right on my tail with Tinycloud and Whisperheart at his side. I shot a glance over my shoulder. I saw Sharpclaw perform a massive leap over the group of rogues that tried to surround him, before charging after us, bring up the rear.

We burst through the trees and onto the thunder-path, which we charged across without even wasting time to look for monsters. We were bounding away, sprinting down the sides of thunder-paths and past two-leg dens, and the rogues were right behind us. My breath rasped unevenly in and out of my mouth.

 _The rogues know these streets. They will catch us or corner us long before we can make it back to the forest or the stream._

Sharpclaw had caught up to the rest of us, and he now ran at my side. He looked concerned at my wheezing and rasping and the bleeding scratches that covered my pelt. Panting, I looked over at Sharpclaw, searching for reassurance and guidance to get us out of this dire situation. Sharpclaw glanced over his broad shoulders at the snarling gang of rogues behind us.

I risked a glance back too.

A second rogue group had joined the first. They now had at least as twice as many cats than we did on our patrol. The chase was being led by two cats—Dark, his blue eyes gleaming with excitement and bloodlust as he sprinted after us, and at his side… Ripper, his orange eyes cold and focused.

Sharpclaw set his jaw.

I saw the determined gleam in his green eyes, and in that instant I knew what he was planning. I felt my blood run cold.

"Sharpclaw, don't!" I gasped.

"' _Retreat!'_ That's an order, warrior!" Sharpclaw snarled in reply.

"They'll kill you!" I shouted.

"None of us are making it out of this two-leg place unless they're distracted," Sharpclaw snapped. "And, you know Ripper needs to be stopped."

I opened my jaws.

"Get to your mother," he growled before I could protest again.

His bright green eyes clouded with emotion.

"And, tell Cherrytail that I love her."

"Sharpclaw, no!" I shrieked, my eyes widening.

He dug his big paws into the ground, coming to a whirling stop, whipping around to face the rapidly approaching rogues with a challenging roar thundering from his jaws.

"Sharpclaw!" Creekfeather cried, looking over his shoulder as he slowed.

"I said _retreat!"_ Sharpclaw screamed the command without glancing back.

Then the rogues were on him, surging over our deputy like a wave.

Wolfshade barreled into Creekfeather, shouldering him hard.

"The deputy orders ' _retreat!'_ " Wolfshade snarled.

Creekfeather jolted, then started forward, and then he was sprinting again.

I looked over my shoulder once as I ran. Sharpclaw was fighting like all of TigerClan, knocking rogues aside like kits with massive blows and blocking others from passing him and following us, the rest of the patrol.

Blood splattered from his claws. His muscles flexed and rippled under his dark russet tabby pelt. A snarl danced on his lips, and his eyes gleamed with the thrill of the fight, shining like that eyes of StarClan. Ripper squared off with our deputy, his teeth bared. Sharpclaw and Ripper clashed together like a thunderclap.

I turned my gaze back forward.

Wolfshade had taken Sharpclaw's place at my side and he ran with his jaw clenched and a quiet pain in his eyes.

I didn't look back again, even when the echoes of Sharpclaw's battle cries faded from my ears, and the rogues began chasing us again, only this time they were dots in the far distance that disappeared when we took a corner. I didn't look back because I didn't want to see our deputy broken and bleeding at the paws of lawless rogues. I didn't want to remember him like that. I wanted to remember him the way I had saw him before... radiating power and righteous fury, protecting us and his family and his Clan. I wanted to remember him dying as he lived— fighting to his last breath with all the bravery and strength of a SkyClan warrior.

* * *

After Whisperheart led us through twisting, twining paths, around two-leg nests and past thunder-paths, we finally sprinted into the forest at the edge of two-leg place. Panting, our patrol staggered towards the stream. I turned my head to look upstream, feeling an almost magnetic pull towards our territory.

"Let's go," Mcgyver muttered, starting to trek up the bank of the stream.

"Wait," I said between pants, coming to a stop and turning to look at my clan-mates. "We can't leave yet."

"Have you gone mouse-brained?" Creekfeather burst out, his eyes wide. "Those rogues just tore Sharpclaw into a million little pieces and you want us to not leave yet!?"

"Hey! Sharpclaw just sacrificed himself to save us!" I said with a snarl, feeling a surge of grief when I thought of our deputy. "Show a bit of respect to him!"

"You want him to show respect?" Minttail spat, her short grey tabby fur bristling. "You're the one that wants us to stay and all be killed! Then his sacrifice would be meaningless!"

"Think!" I said, giving a single tail lash. "Those rogues are not far behind us. They may not know exactly where were are right now. But, at least some of them will come here looking for us because this is where they found Wolfshade and I. Do you want to leave them a perfect scent trail to follow, leading them right up to our territory?"

My clan-mates were silent, gazing at me with wide, fearful eyes.

"Then what do we do?" Whisperheart said in a hushed voice.

I hesitated.

Everyone's eyes were on me. I felt my breathing picking up. How was I supposed to know what was right?

"I— I— um," I said, my thoughts scrambling like startled rabbits.

I desperately tried to pin one down. Then like a lucky pounce, I caught one.

"We confuse them," I meowed. "We leave other scent trails."

"What do you mean?" Tinycloud asked.

"We go downstream," Wolfshade meowed, coming to stand at my side. "We go back into the two-leg place for a bit. We cross the river and head in that direction."

"Yes," I said nodding. "Then when we do go upstream, we walk in the shallows of the river, so that most of our scent is washed away."

My clan-mates were slowly nodding as they gasped my plan. I felt my confidence rising slowly as I watched the warriors' faces furrow with determination.

 _But, there is one more thing…_

"There is one other thing we must do," I meowed. "Ripper is here. He knows where are territory is and won't be fooled by the scent trails."

"Then what's the point in even trying to confuse them!" Mcgyver cried, giving a frustrated tail lash.

"There is the chance that he may not have told them yet," I meowed. "Even if he has, they may not have a good gasp on the location, and there is still a good chance that they will be thrown off by the scent trails and choose to follow them rather than listen to his directions. But, Ripper will lead them to our camp if given the opportunity. We need to capture him."

"Now that is definitely suicidal," Minttail snarled.

"Ripper will be one of the rogues that comes here to the river, looking for us. I'm sure of it," I meowed, ignoring her. "If we can ambush the patrol then we can capture him."

My clan-mates were all looking at me again, although they looked less certain this time. Still they nodded when my gaze met theirs. My eyes flickered to Wolfshade's last. He gave me a nod, setting his jaw. Feeling reinvigorated by the strength I saw in his gaze, I raised my head.

"These rogues will not beat us," I said, my voice a low growl. "We are warriors! We are SkyClan!"

My clan-mates began to growl in agreement, sinking their claws eagerly into the ground.

"We will show them what happens when you kill one of our own," I meowed, my voice dropping. "We will not just scamper away with our tails between our legs. They will not find our camp. We won't let them. For Sharpclaw. For SkyClan."

"SkyClan! SkyClan!" Wolfshade chanted, raising his tail, the fur down his back prickling like he stood in an electric storm.

"SkyClan!" the rest of the patrol echoed, teeth bared, eyes alight with righteous fury.

"Alright," I meowed, signaling them closer to me with a flick of my tail. "Here's the plan…"

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Hey guys! Hoped you liked the chapter! Poor Sharpclaw :( but a lot of you suspected correctly that there was no way SkyClan was getting out unscathed. Sorry to leave you on another cliff hanger, but next chapter should be up soon!_

 _Reviews:_

 _DarkPitchBlack: Aw haha you'll be out of school soon enough hopefully!_

 _Princessaurora2004: Since Whisperheart was a former member of the rogue gang, she was able to lead the SkyClan patrol through the city and to where they keep the prisoners._

 _Silvermist: Aw great! Thanks for reading!_

 _Sierra: Yep! Spot on guess!_

 _Featherfrost of Stormclan: LOL sorry for another cliffhanger haha_

 _CloverTheBudgie: Hahaha that's so funny, honestly I mixed up their names while writing this chapter a couple times too._

 _Brian: Whisperheart growing up there made her familiar enough with the city and the Park so that she could lead her clan-mates to where the rogues keep their prisoners._

 _ToxicKrool: Aw thank you so much! I'm glad you like it. Unfortunately, I don't have an Instagram though. I do have a deviant art account, which is under this same user name SedatedDreams, although I'm not super active posting there. If you want to message me on deviant art though, that website might be nicer to you than this one._

 _Guest: Well they haven't been captured (not yet at least, we'll have to see what happens) but they haven't made it out unscathed._


	69. Chapter 68: Cold Veins

I split the patrol into three teams. Creekfeather and I were in charge of attacking and capturing Ripper. Minttail and Mcgyver were to lay down the false scent trails down stream and elsewhere in these woods. While Wolfshade, Whisperheart, and Tinycloud were to chase or lure away the other rogues in the patrol that came with Ripper, leaving a twisting scent trail through two-leg place in the process. I had wanted to keep Whisperheart with me so I could protect her, but since she knew the layout of the two-leg place, I knew she had to be on the team that went in it.

Each of us had given up a claw-ful of fur to Minttail and Mcgyver for them to carry on their feet, spreading all of our scents downstream with them. When Minttail ripped out a chunk of my fur, she did it a bit more viciously than she had done to the others. I winced as she pulled out a bit of skin with it.

"Sorry," Minttail said in a voice that sounded completely unapologetic.

"No problem," I said in a voice just as icy. "The blood will make it seem more realistic."

With claws full of fur, Minttail and Mcgyver took off downstream.

My headache had lessened after I was able to gulp down several mouthfuls of water from the stream, and although I was still hungry, I could feel my strength returning to me now that my dehydration was cured. Now, I was crouched in the branches of one of the trees in the woods, hidden within the shadows of the branches. My fur was sticky and cold from the mud I rolled in to disguise my scent and the color of my pelt. Creekfeather was in the tree to my right, his fur in a similar state.

Between Creekfeather's tree and my own, Wolfshade, Whisperheart, and Tinycloud waited.

I watched them with my tail-tip twitching anxiously.

I hadn't wanted Wolfshade to be bait, but he had stubbornly insisted.

 _He and I are the weakest here, the mousebrain. How does he expect to outrun the rogues?_

I put my chin down on my paw, my muscles tense with anticipation and anxiety. There was no changing the plan now though. The trap was set. Now all we had to do was wait for our prey to walk into it.

It didn't take long.

I heard the cats brushing through the undergrowth long before I saw them. I saw Wolfshade's ears prick, and I knew that he had heard them too. I spotted the rogue patrol coming from the left, heading right towards Wolfshade, Whisperheart, and Tinycloud. I signaled with a flick of my tail the direction that they were approaching from. Wolfshade gave a nod, acknowledging my signal.

He, Whisperheart, and Tinycloud crouched down, preparing. The rogues were drawing closer, moving more quietly now since they could scent we were close. They thought that they were the ones ambushing us.

 _The mousebrains._

I dug my claws into the bark of the tree eagerly. There were six cats in the patrol. And, I saw Ripper among them.

I felt a surge of white hot rage rise within me. I had half-way been hoping that Sharpclaw had managed to badly injure or even kill him. But, although he walked with a nasty limp, and his pelt was covered in scratches, he was nowhere near mortally wounded.

The patrol was close enough now.

I raised my tail.

Wolfshade, Whisperheart, and Tinycloud took off at the sight of my signal, shooting through the trees in the direction of the two-leg place.

"After them!" I heard Ripper yowl.

His patrol went charging through the trees, running right between Creekfeather's and my tree, just as we had hoped. Quickly, I moved into position, stalking down the length of the branch as silently as an owl. Ripper brought up the rear of the patrol, slowed by his limp. As he dashed under me, I dropped from my tree like a clawed, muddy shadow come to life.

I landed squarely on his broad, striped back. His knees buckled from the unexpected impact, forcing him to the ground. I dug my claws into the back of his neck, and raked my hind legs down his back, shoving his muzzle into the dirt before he could make any noise besides a muffled grunt. Luckily, my pounce had knocked the wind out of him, and he struggled to suck in a breath, let alone move or fight back. I quickly rolled off of him, standing to pin down his shoulders with my fore-paws, as Creekfeather hit the ground, his fore-paws landing squarely on Ripper's lower back to pin down his hindquarters, helping me hold him down.

It was all over in a heartbeat.

Ripper grunted again at Creekfeather's hit, struggling to lift his head off of the ground.

 _"Miss me, beautiful?"_ I hissed in Ripper's ear in a taunting voice. "This is for Sharpclaw, you piece of fox-dung."

Ripper's furious gaze flashed up at me, and I felt a brutal flash of satisfaction.

"Lightningfire, behind you!" Creekfeather meowed the warning.

My muscles tensed, and I turned, springing off of Ripper to avoid a blow from a brown rogue that must have come back after noticing Ripper's sudden disappearance.

"Hold Ripper!" I ordered Creekfeather.

My clan-mate braced himself against the pinned rogue, claws against his neck in case he tried anything, while I squared off against the brown rogue. The rogue snarled at me, revealing twisted yellow fangs. I lashed my tail, the fur down my back bristling. He sprung, and I reared up on my hind-legs to meet him, my claws flashing. We smacked together, fur flying. The tom was heavier than me, and his leap knocked me off my paws and onto my back. But, I was able to sink my fangs into the upper part of his fore-leg as he came down on me. Bracing my fore-legs against his chest to give myself more leverage, I wrenched his leg in my jaws to the side, taking the knowledge that I learned from Echosong on how to return a bone to a joint, in order to pull his out of it. The brown tom let out a unholy, high pitched screech as his shoulder gave a quiet, rather unassuming pop. He stumbled a step backwards away from me, his face awash with pain, as he held his injured leg in the air, giving me the space to stand. I rose to my paws, fur all bushed out, eyes wild, feeling very much like a avenging spirit. I wasted no time allowing him to recover. I sprung at the tom, claws outstretched. He hissed, swatting at me feebly with his injured paw, a blow which I dodged easily, and retaliating with a cuff of my own to his ear.

I spat at him, baring my teeth as he looked up at me through half-lidded muddy-yellow eyes.

I expected him to turn tail and flee now, being so clearly beaten. Any Clan cat would. Any normal rogue. But, not these rogues.

These rogues lived lives of grating winds and blistering heat. They're stones that have been worn down by the ceaseless beating of the gales, sharpened by the breeze into a honed claw, then hardened by roaring fire, turning them from stone into something more— something cold, metallic, unforgiving.

The brown tom leapt at me, jaws aimed at my throat.

But, my fangs found his first.

There was a crunch—the giving away of skin and flesh under my teeth. The flood of salty blood on my tongue. The tightening of his muscles against my jaws. The frantic pounding of his pulse on my cheek. Then… nothing.

I opened my mouth, the rogue dropping from my jaws like a stone.

I looked down at the limp brown tom, seeing my blood soaked legs and paws, watching my chest heaving. He lay in a puddle of red, spreading out around him like a blossoming flower of death. His muddy-yellow eyes were wide, but they didn't see anything. They were empty, only two yellow rocks in his face now.

 _He's dead… I killed him._

I felt a rush of emotion that rattled me to my core, knocking my breath from my lungs.

 _Oh StarClan…_

I scrambled a step back from the body, paws stumbling over each other, and I shook my head.

 _Don't think about it right now!_

I forced my whirling emotions into a deep corner of my mind. I couldn't deal with them right now. Not while my clan-mates' lives were still at stake.

 _Stick to the plan. Everything will be alright if you stick to the plan._

Breathing heavily, I turned, walking back to Ripper to help Creekfeather hold him. I padded up to the toms, and as fast as a springing hare, Ripper flashed out a paw, sweeping my legs out from under me. I stumbled, but caught myself before I hit the ground. Ripper surged to his paws, but Creekfeather crawled onto his back, sinking is fangs into Ripper's scruff, making Ripper give a sharp cry in pain. My balance recovered, I hit Ripper's face as hard as I could with my paw, snapping his head to the right.

"Make one more move, and Creekfeather will sink his fangs into your spine rather than your scruff," I hissed between pants.

"Doesn't your precious code forbid killing?" Ripper said, spitting blood and dirt from his mouth, his orange eyes on fire.

My paws trembled, but I tried to hide it.

"You killed Sharpclaw! You rogues are beyond the code!" I snarled, my heart racing in my chest.

I wasn't sure if I was trying to convince him or myself.

"Oh Princess what have you done?" Ripper meowed, his eyes gleaming as they flickered over my body, none of my inner conflict escaping them. "This is the first time that you've gotten real blood on your paws isn't it?"

"Be quiet!" I meowed, hitting his face again without thinking, his head snapping to the side once more.

He slowly turned his head back forward to look at me, his eyes smoldering.

"You are our prisoner," I said in a low voice, but it was now trembling against my will. "We are taking you back to our camp, so that you cannot lead your rogues there. And, you are our leverage if your rogues do find our Clan and plan to attack."

"Silk will never let you go free," Ripper whispered, his harsh gaze flashing. "You're better off letting me go and running away while you still can. If you think Silk cares about sparing my life instead of getting her vengeance on you, the deserters, and the rest of SkyClan, then you're sadly mistaken."

I took a deep breath, feeling myself calm slightly as I took a moment to silently gloat.

"I think you're bluffing," I whispered to Ripper, our gazes meeting.

He narrowed his gaze.

"A mother will do anything for her kit," I said.

His orange eyes widened in shock.

"How did you…" he said.

"I'm observant," I growled. "Get up. But, don't put one paw out of place."

Ripper watched me warily. And, for the first time I've known him I realized, I saw something like fear in his gaze.

 _Is he really afraid… of me?_

I felt my stomach clench.

 _That's what I want! Ripper is a murderer who deserves punishment. He should be afraid of me!_

Then why did seeing this tom, this monster, look so wary make me feel sick?

Ripper rose to his paws and Creekfeather and I flanked him. We escorted him, limping, to the river, in a sheltered area next to the stream and surrounded by bushes. I had chosen this spot for our patrol's rendezvous point because the undergrowth here would provide some camouflage if more rouges came this way. In the shelter of the bushes, I collapsed more than lowered myself to the ground, then set to work quickly licking the blood off of my legs and paws, using fast, bordering frantic, strokes. I was eager to remove the red from my fur, the physical reminder of the brown tom that still clung to me.

Ripper watched me groom, his injured hind-leg jutting out awkwardly under him as he sat. He was silent, but I could see the sharp, taunting words that he left unsaid shining in his gaze. I glanced at Creekfeather, who crouched next to me. He was quiet too, but he lifted his gaze to mine when he felt my eyes on him, and he gave me a nod. The nod reassured me. Creekfeather and I weren't the closest of friends, but I was grateful that it seems that I still retained his respect. And, that he wasn't horrified by my actions…

"I didn't mean it," I whispered to Creekfeather.

He hadn't said anything, but still, I felt the need to explain it to him, to try to justify.

"It's okay," he meowed. "I saw the way he was coming at you. It was life or death."

I nodded and fell back into silence. Creekfeather, at least, seemed to have come to terms with it without issue.

 _I think I will need a bit more convincing, myself._

I saw the tom's empty yellow eyes in my mind, and I shuddered.

I tried to keep my mind blank, to not think of anything while we waited. I had my gaze carefully averted from Ripper, focused instead slightly to the side on the ground a few tail-lengths away from my now perfectly clean paws. There was enough of his light brown-tabby form in my peripherals that I would notice if he tried to make a move to attack or to escape, but I won't look at his face, or look into his eyes. He knew how to talk with me with those glowing orange orbs, and I was in no mood to have a conversation.

My ears pricked as I heard footsteps approaching. Cautiously, I peered out through the bushes and was relieved to spot Minttail and Mcgyver slinking back up-stream, sticking to the muddy bank and edge of the water to mask their returning scent trail best they could. I stood, raising my tail to signal to them. Minttail gave an ear flick of acknowledgement and headed in my direction. Minttail and Mcgyver joined Creekfeather and I in the bushes. Mcgyver's ears went back when he saw Ripper and he let out a hiss.

"Did you encounter any rogues? Did you place the scent trail far enough downstream?" I asked.

"We did everything as instructed," Minttail meowed curtly. "And, didn't see any other cat."

"See you caught the mangy rogue," Mcgyver growled. "Everything go well for you?"

I hesitated, seeing the blood rush from the brown rogue's neck again.

"Lightningfire had to fight a second rogue," Creekfeather meowed. "But, we got Ripper without much trouble."

"Well, it was quite impressive how she tore out his throat," Ripper said in a low growl, drawing Minttail's and Mcgyver's attention to him. "I wasn't going to try challenging her after that."

"You killed a rogue?" Minttail meowed, turning to look at me with surprise, scorn, and something else in her eyes.

"He would've killed me if I didn't!" I said, my voice more defensive than I intended, the fur on my back rising slightly.

I felt the urge to frantically groom my paws again, even though I knew they were clean.

Minttail's brow furrowed, but she didn't argue.

"Where's Wolfshade?" she asked.

"His group hasn't returned yet," I said. "I'm sure they'll be back soon."

My voice was steady, but I felt my heart rate picking up slightly.

 _Oh StarClan, please let him be okay._

A horrible feeling of dread settled over me, wrapping me up like ice-cold bird's wings.

 _I should have never left him alone. That was a mistake. What if he never comes back? What if he and Tinycloud and Whisperheart are caught and killed? What would I do without him?_

I bit my lip, fidgeting my paws anxiously while my tail twitched.

"Standing on an ant hill, Princess?" Ripper's scathing voice pierced through the anxious fog that hung around me.

"I'm worried," I growled, looking at him for the first time since we got to the stream.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be fine," Ripper said with an exaggerated eye-roll. "They'll take one look at his scarred up face and turn tail in horror, running for the hills."

"Devolved so quickly into insults, have we?" I growled.

"What can I say?" Ripper said, narrowing his eyes. "I guess being around you just brings out the best in me."

"I swear," I said, my voice a low an menacing rumble. "If Wolfshade dies, you will not live to see today's sunset."

"Shh!" Creekfeather hissed.

We all froze, the distinctive sound of a twig snapping ringing through the trees. I glared at Ripper, commanding him to be silent with my eyes. He looked at me with an insolent gaze, but didn't challenge my order, knowing that he was injured and outnumbered. We waited with bated breath as the sound of paw-steps became louder. I peered through the bushes, trying to spot the source of the noise.

"Wolfshade!" I said, sighing in relief, and pushing my way through the undergrowth.

"We made it back," he panted, coming to a stop from a trot with Tinycloud and Whisperheart at his side.

I pressed myself to his side, taking a deep trembling breath of his scent.

"Whisperheart lost them back in the two-leg place," he continued, while giving me a look of slightly concern at the way I was clinging to him. "But, I think we should get going. It can't be long before they loop back here, and we want to be out of here by then and have only our fake scent trails remaining."

"Right," I said, forcing myself to straighten, giving my head a small shake.

"Is everything alright?" he asked in a low voice. "Ripper…?"

"He's captured," I meowed. "And…"

Again. A flash of brown fur. The hot scent and sticky taste of blood.

"You're right. We should get going now. I'll tell you later," I meowed, giving my leg fur a quick swipe of my tongue.

For some reason, it felt like I could still taste the salt.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Lightningfire is going to be dealing with some heavy stuff now, my poor girl, but I'm excited that the story is developing._

 _Reviews:_

 _Princessaurora2004: Thank you! Hope you liked her plan_

 _DarkPitchBlack: I'm sorry, I really like him too! :( He died like a hero. I'm sure he wouldn't have wanted to go any other way._

 _Featherfrost of Stormclan: I'm sorry! :'''(_

 _Azieka: Thanks for the offer, but I don't think I'm in need of any new characters right now!_

 _Firestaristhebest: Thank you! And, they are very cute together haha_

 _Brain: Thanks I'm really glad you liked it! There was no way Sharpclaw was going down without an awesome fight._


	70. Chapter 69: Homeward

We headed upstream right after Wolfshade's and his group's return.

"We're walking in the water," I had said to Ripper.

"Seriously?" he had replied, his face disgusted.

I tried not to take too much pleasure in shoving him into the stream.

I set our trek through the river at a lope at first, wanting to put as much distance between us and the two-leg place as possible before slowing to a trot, the longer we traveled. I was grateful that the flooding that swept Wolfshade and I downstream a few days ago had subsided, and now the river only moved at a brisk pace, but we were able to walk in the shallows without issue. I lead the patrol, with Ripper in the dead center of it, surrounded on all sides by SkyClan warriors in case he tried to do anything. It turned out though, he was the slowest cat here. He practically dragged each paw through the water with every step. Fighting Sharpclaw, then having two cats drop from a tree onto him really did a number on him.

 _Sharpclaw…_

I felt a deep mournfulness rise in me. I had time to think about it now, let his death sink in. And, now it felt like there was a hole in the world and a void inside me where Sharpclaw once was. It seemed so strange to think that I would never again see him sending out patrols at the foot of Rockpile, conferring with my mother about the running of the Clan, playing with Owlpaw, Ripplepaw, and Adderpaw in the clearing, or sharing tongues with Cherrytail in a patch of sunlight. He was just gone. There would be no day that he returned, strolling into camp like he was only coming back from patrol. The next time I saw him would be in StarClan.

I bowed my head as I walked.

 _And, he wouldn't have even been here if Wolfshade and I weren't…_

"Is everything okay?" Whisperheart meowed, padding up to my side.

I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts.

"Yeah… Just thinking about Sharpclaw," I meowed.

Sadness crept into Whisperheart's green eyes.

"I've never met a cat that fearless," she meowed.

"Me neither," I said, shaking my head with a sigh. "What will SkyClan do without his bravery?"

"We'll be okay," she said, touching her muzzle to my shoulder briefly in a comforting gesture.

"Cherrytail, their kits," I said in a low voice. "How will I manage to tell Owlpaw? She'll be crushed. And, to know that he wouldn't even have run into the rogues if he wasn't coming after me."

"This isn't your fault Lightningfire," Whisperheart said in a quiet, rasping voice, giving her head a shake. "If anything, it's mine. You and SkyClan wouldn't have even been tangled up with the Kingdom if it weren't for Iceshiver, Tatteredtail, Crash, and I finding the Clan."

"'The Kingdom?'" I repeated in a puzzled voice.

"That's what the rogues call themselves," Whisperheart said. "I never told you… I wanted to leave that part of my life behind."

"And, you have," I meowed, insisting. "If this isn't my fault, then it isn't your fault, Whisperheart. You're not a part of the Kingdom; you're a part of SkyClan."

"Thanks, I—" Whisperheart said.

"Can you walk any slower? I thought the plan was for the rogues _not_ to catch us," Minttail's voice called from behind me, interrupting Whisperheart.

I turned to look over my shoulder.

"We can walk faster if you would like to carry him, Minttail," I meowed sarcastically, flicking my tail to indicate the limping, panting Ripper.

"I don't need anyone to carry me," Ripper grumbled. "I could fight all of you right now, with only three working legs."

"Quiet, Ripper," I said with a growl.

Minttail glanced at the beat-up rogue and gave an annoyed huff, before falling back into silence herself. I turned to Whisperheart.

"I don't understand why Minttail even wanted to go on this patrol if she seems to still hate me so much," I complained in a whisper to her.

Whisperheart laughed; a rough, grating purr.

"She's here, and she still hates you, because she's still hopelessly in love with him," Whisperheart meowed, flicking her tail to indicate Wolfshade, who was padding behind us and keeping a sharp eye on Ripper.

My gaze flitted over him for a moment. Just to appreciate the sight of his face.

"Well she better get over it," I muttered to myself, turning back forward.

I gave my head a small shake, trying to put Minttail and her petty grudges out of my mind.

"Oh, also, Whisperheart, I want to thank you for being here," I meowed, touching my tail tip to her ginger flank. "We couldn't have made it through that two-leg place without you. You found us and saved us, even though you know you could have died if they caught you. Thank you."

Whisperheart bowed her head sheepishly.

"No thanks necessary," she said in her gravel voice. "That's what clan-mates do for each other, right?"

I purred.

"I'm very grateful that you're my clan-mate," I said.

Whisperheart hesitated a moment.

"If I may ask, Lightningfire," she meowed. "When Leafstar sent out our patrol to look for you and Wolfshade, she didn't tell us why, only that she got into an argument with you. I know it's not my business, but I was just wondering…"

"What we fought about that was so bad that it made me run away?" I asked, finishing her sentence for her in a bitter voice.

"Well, from the state of the cliff by the waterfall when I saw it, it looks more like you fell rather than ran," Whisperheart pointed out with a small purr of dark humor. "Were you actually trying to run away from SkyClan?"

I sighed.

"I don't think so. Caught up in that moment though…" I hesitated, struggling to find the words.

"I could never actually abandon my family," I continued. "Or, my friends. I love SkyClan. But, I couldn't do what my mother was asking of me either."

"What was that?" Whisperheart asked.

I glanced back at the grey tom that I loved so much again, and I felt my heart ache in my chest.

"To abandon Wolfshade, and train to be a medicine cat," I said, taking my eyes off of him to look at Whisperheart.

She nodded.

"I understand," she said.

 _I wonder if the rest of our clan-mates will be that understanding._

"Hey."

I turned my head to see that Wolfshade had padded up to my side.

"I'll leave you two alone to talk," Whisperheart said, dipping her head to me.

I blinked in surprise at the respectful gesture, but Whisperheart had already dropped back to take Wolfshade's place in the patrol before I could say anything.

"How are you doing?" Wolfshade asked, pulling my attention back to him.

"Still in one piece and haven't collapsed yet, so I'll say it's going well," I said with a small purr.

He nodded, and I noticed his green eyes were serious.

"Back there by the two-leg place, you looked sort of freaked out," he said. "And, a little while ago, Minttail told me that you fought another rogue besides Ripper, and that he's dead."

"You mean she told you that I killed him," I said curtly, resisting the urge to shoot a poisonous look at Minttail from over my shoulder.

"Yes," Wolfshade admitted.

"Well, I did," I said, the words like stones in my mouth.

Wolfshade was silent, waiting for me to continue.

"I didn't mean to," I said. "We were fighting. I was just thinking about surviving. And, then his throat was in my mouth. I…"

My voice trailed off, and I licked my lips nervously.

"I don't know what happened," I said.

"It's okay," he meowed, touching my shoulder reassuringly. "It was in the heat of battle. We're weak and tired and desperate. They killed Sharpclaw. You were just trying to survive."

I nodded. I could hear his words, but I didn't feel them. They were like fireflies in the night sky. There, then gone. Flashes in the emptiness.

"You okay?" Wolfshade said.

I blinked, giving my head a small shake to snap myself out of it. I think there must have been a vacancy in my eyes which gave me way.

"Yeah," I lied. "Or, at least I will be."

I glanced at him. I leaned over and touched my nose to his muzzle, since he didn't look entirely convinced.

"We'll be home soon," I murmured.

He nodded and gave my cheek fur a lick.

"Everything will seem better once we're back," he added.

I nodded, but my stomach clenched at his words.

 _But, once we get back, everyone will know about Sharpclaw's death._

The sun was setting by the time we reached the cliff that marked the border of our territory. I gazed up at the cliff.

 _I never thought I'd be so happy to see that stupid waterfall._

We left the stream to scale the cliff at a lower spot. There was no more point in walking in the water any more anyway. SkyClan's scent markers were right at the top of the cliff, so if the Kingdom rogues made it this far, there would be no more hiding.

Every step back towards camp felt like an eternity. Somehow we had managed to escape the rogues at least for now, but even back in my own territory, I was unable to relax. My shoulders were tense as I led the patrol through our trees, and every step was stiff. I don't know why my pelt felt waterlogged with dread. Perhaps it was the thought of facing my mother after our argument, or having to tell the Clan Sharpclaw was dead, or returning with Ripper and the terrifying news of the Kingdom. There were so many reasons for the anxiety ripping holes in my chest.

The familiar sandy walls of the gorge began to rise around us as we approached our camp under the darkening sky.

"They're back!" I heard someone ahead shout.

There was a commotion. I saw cats' heads peering from the dens, pelts streaming down the cliffs to greet us, friendly and curious meows rung out, but the voices became more hesitant and wary when our clan-mates saw the looks on our faces and caught sight of Ripper.

"What's _he_ doing here?" Sparrowpelt growled, spotting Ripper.

I raised my chin.

"We must speak to Leafstar," I meowed.

"Lightningfire!" Leafstar said.

She came running to me, her blue eyes swimming with mixed emotions. I was worried I'd find anger in there, but instead, I just saw relief.

"Where's Sharpclaw?" She meowed, sweeping her gaze over the patrol. "Why is Ripper back?"

"Perhaps we should speak alone, Leafstar," I said in a low voice, my eyes flickering to see my gathering clan-mates. "We have grave news."

Leafstar's gaze darkened.

"Let's go to my den," she said quietly.

I could already here the grief in her voice; she knew at least some of what was coming.

"Sparrowpelt," Leafstar said, nodding to him. "Escort Ripper back to his den. You and Lionclaw are to guard him."

The burly toms flanked the wounded prisoner and walked him back to the small den that we had held him before. Except, by assigning two warriors, Leafstar was taking no chances in having him escape this time.

"What's going on?" Shrewtooth meowed, looking around at Ripper and the rest of our patrol in confusion.

"I will hold a Clan meeting after conferring with Lightningfire," Leafstar announced.

I saw concerned and confused faces around me, but there were nods and murmurs of agreement. Cats settled down in camp to wait.

Leafstar flicked her tail to summon Brackenstorm to her and they headed up to her den.

"You're hurt!" Echosong exclaimed, padding up to our patrol, and noticing our missing patches of fur and the cuts on our pelts.

She made a bee-line for Wolfshade, spotting his swollen face.

"I need Wolfshade to come with me to speak with Leafstar," I meowed to her.

Echosong's brow furrowed, and she looked like she might protest.

"We'll both come be examined by you afterwards," Wolfshade promised before padding over to me.

I took a deep breath, then Wolfshade and I scaled the cliff to my mother's den. She was pacing anxiously as we entered the cave.

"Where's Sharpclaw?" were the first words out of Leafstar's mouth.

"He's dead," I said, my mouth dry.

Dead silence rung through the den. Leafstar and Brackenstorm exchanged a look of dismay. Leafstar bowed her head, taking a deep sighing breath. Then she sunk her claws into the mossy floor of the den.

"Tell me everything," she said in a low voice.

"After our argument, I went to the edge of our territory by the waterfall," I meowed. "Wolfshade went after me to talk with me. There, the cliff collapsed under us and we were swept downstream. We washed up on shore by a large two-leg place. Once we came to, we were met by a patrol of rogues, led by Ripper."

"Ripper was there?" Brackenstorm asked.

"He lives there," I meowed. "The two-leg place is where he's from. The two-leg place is run by a massive group of rogues who called themselves the Kingdom."

"The patrol captured me and Wolfshade," I continued. "And, they took us to the rogue camp, where we were interrogated by their leader Silk. She is hunting down defectors from the Kingdom and wanted to know if we knew of any."

I hesitated for a moment. The secret that had caused me so much trouble rested on the tip of my tongue. It felt strange to finally release the words.

"Whisperheart, Iceshiver, and Tatteredtail are defectors, originally from the Kingdom," I said. "Silk wants them dead. But, we didn't tell her where they are, or where our territory is."

Leafstar's face furrowed in concern.

"When we wouldn't tell them what they wanted to know, they put us in these root dens as a prison," I continued. "That's where Sharpclaw's patrol found us. As we were escaping the two-leg place, the rogues were pursuing us, Sharpclaw chose to stay behind to delay them so that we could make it out… and he died doing so."

Leafstar and Brackenstorm bowed their heads. I swallowed against the lump that rose in my throat.

"He was always fearless," Leafstar murmured, grief shining in her eyes. "Reckless though," she added with a snort of affectionate amusement, and a shake of her head. "I had hoped his rashness would temper with time. Still he was a good deputy, brave and strong. And, he would have made a fine leader of SkyClan."

"What happened next?" Brackenstorm prodded gently, casting a solemn glance at my mother as he asked.

"We made it out of the two-leg place to the river," Wolfshade spoke up, taking a turn to explain. "Lightningfire organized our patrol in order to lay false scent-trails to throw off the rogues and so that we could ambush Ripper, capturing him before he could lead the rogues to our territory. The plan went smoothly, and then we headed back home."

I nodded, confirming his words, although guilt flashed through me as the ghost of the brown rogue crept into the back of my mind.

 _Was the life that I snuffed out so meaningless that it wasn't even worthy of being mentioned in a report to Leafstar?_

Leafstar looked over at me.

"I am very proud of you, Lightningfire, for leading our clan-mates home safely," she said.

"It was nothing," I murmured, not making eyes contact, my thoughts still dark and heavy.

"Of course, you must be exhausted," Leafstar said, noticing my distantness, but attributing it to a wrong cause. "And, you're wounded. Go have Echosong look you over. I must speak to the Clan."

Wolfshade and I dipped our heads and left the den. I realized that I was really tired as we padded across camp to the medicine cat's den, paws dragging. More than my physical exhaustion though, my mind was tired and tormented. I glanced over my shoulder and watched my mother bound up Rockpile, and I knew that our conversation was not done. Right now, we had to face the immediate issue of Sharpclaw's death, but we have not yet resolved our argument. There was still so much to say. There were still so many apologies to give and so much guilt to absolve.

Echosong patched Wolfshade and I up in front of her den so that we could hear Leafstar speak.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath Rockpile for a Clan meeting," Leafstar said in a solemn voice.

The opening was more ceremonial than anything else, because everyone was already out in the camp. Cats quieted and turned towards Leafstar.

"I have some terrible news to deliver," Leafstar meowed.

I was stunned by how strong my mother's voice was, even though I knew that her eyes were filled with grief.

"Sharpclaw is dead," she said.

There were gasps and cries from my clan-mates.

"Great StarClan, no," Echosong muttered, her eyes wide.

My attention wasn't for her though; my eyes searched the crowd for my old mentor. I found Cherrytail at the edge of camp, her kits huddled around her. Cherrytail bowed her head low, Ripplepaw and Adderpaw pressing against her sides while Owlpaw stood a distance away, a shocked expression on her face, her big yellow eyes stretched wide. My chest aching, my gaze flickered away from her and to Nightstorm. My brother's face was expressionless; he did a better job at masking his grief at the death of his old mentor than some of the other clan-mates did. But, I saw grief and anger shining in his green eyes, and I saw the tenseness in his muscles under his short, dark pelt. His burning gaze called for vengeance.

My heart wretched in my chest. I wanted to go to my hurting friends and comfort them, but Leafstar was still speaking.

In brief terms, she explained everything that Wolfshade and I had told her about what happened, from Silk and the Kingdom rogues to Sharpclaw's death to Ripper's capture.

"What will be done with him?" Nightstorm snarled, rising to his paws.

"I will announce my decision on what to do with Ripper later," Leafstar meowed. "For now, it seems that SkyClan is safe from the Kingdom, thanks to Lightningfire's quick thinking. Which I am very grateful for."

Leafstar dipped her head to me. My fur prickled uncomfortably as all my clan-mates turned to look at me before Leafstar continued, drawing the attention back to her.

"Now we will hold vigil for Sharpclaw, and as custom of the Clans, I will choose the new deputy before moon-high," she said.

Leafstar sprung down from Rockpile, then padded out into the center of camp, where she settled down in a couch, bowing her head.

My clan-mates gathered around her, crouching down as well. I felt a strange twinge in my chest.

 _This is the first time that SkyClan will have to replace its deputy._

It seemed so odd. Sharpclaw was the deputy. That was the way it always was.

After Echosong had finished putting herbs and cobwebs on my wounds, I headed into the crowd. The first cat I spotted was my apprentice. We locked eyes, and she headed over to me.

"Lightningfire," she meowed.

"Owlpaw…" I said, the words drying up in my throat like a flower on a dry, blistering green-leaf day. "I'm so sorry."

She just nodded, her yellow eyes dull.

"Your father loved you and he was so proud of you and your siblings," I said.

Her face broke then, sadness covering it like a dark mask. It was so hard to see, and to know I was the one that caused the pain.

I bent my head to nuzzle Owlpaw, but she pulled back.

"Why did you run away Lightningfire?" she asked.

There was betrayal in her eyes. Her words were like a cold claw to my heart. I wanted to explain, to tell her that I had not meant any of this. That I wasn't going to run away from her, and that I wished that her father still lived. I wanted to redeem myself in her eyes.

"I'll explain it to you later," I said sighing and shutting my eyes, unable to look into her's. "Cherrytail needs you now. Go to her."

To my relief, Owlpaw obeyed and silently padded away.

I turned to look for Leafstar. I spotted her near the center of the camp, her head bowed in grief, as if she crouched over Sharpclaw's body. I walked slowly over to my leader.

"May I speak to you?" I murmured to Leafstar, angling my ears towards the edge of the camp, away from our clan-mates.

Leafstar nodded and followed me away.

"I'm so sorry, Mother," I mewed, as soon as we were out of earshot.

I could feel myself coking up, the stress and grief swelling in me and bursting out.

"This is all my fault for running away from our argument. I've failed you, and my Clan," I rasped, lowering my head in despair.

Heavy silence stretched between us for a heartbeat.

"No, Lightningfire. I failed you by trying to turn you into something you're not," she said.

I looked up in shock. Leafstar gazed at me with sadness in her blue eyes.

"I should have never tried to force you into being a medicine cat. Your heart's always been that of a warrior's; I've known that since you were a kit. I was so caught up in trying to do what was best for the Clan... That I forgot about what is best for you. And, I forgot that you are also a member of this Clan," Leafstar meowed.

"But, if I hadn't run off, then Sharpclaw—" I protested.

"Sharpclaw volunteered to lead the patrol after you and Wolfshade, and he fully understood the perils of leaving the safety of Clan territory," Leafstar cut me off.

"You have not failed our Clan. And I am the one who should be asking for your forgiveness," she said.

"There is nothing to forgive," I muttered.

Leafstar nodded to me in reply before turning and padding back over to our clan-mates to continue her vigil.

I sighed, heart heavy while watching the clan mourn for their deputy. There was nothing that I wanted to do more in the world than to just curl up in my nest, close my eyes and pretend like this was just a bad dream. But, there was more to be done. I spotted Cherrytail, doubled over in grief. I walked over to her and bent down to gently lick the top of my old mentor's head. Her eyes flickered open.

"Sharpclaw fought until the end, and he died to save us," I mewed softly to her, unable to meet her gaze because of the guilt that swirled in my belly.

"And, his last request to me was to tell you that he loves you," I rasped.

Cherrytail blinked hard a few times, pain raw in her eyes.

"Thank you for telling me, Lightningfire," she mumbled. "Sharpclaw died protecting his clan-mates. I know he wouldn't have wanted to go any other way."

I dipped my head to her, then respectfully stepped aside.

I surveyed my clan, but instead of retreating to the warrior's den, I found myself searching for a familiar grey pelt. I spotted him lying under Rockpile, a mouse at his paws. I slowly padded over to him, my paws leading me to his side almost unconsciously.

"Have you eaten?" Wolfshade asked, glancing up at me.

I shook my head in reply.

"You should. We need to heal and keep our strength up," he mewed gently.

"I'm not hungry," I muttered.

"Me neither," he sighed.

Silence stretched between us. He nosed the prey at his feet.

"At least finish this mouse with me," he meowed.

I sat at his side in reply, and bent my head to take a bite of the mouse. Then, I sat back up, chewing and stared off into the distance, my thoughts drifting.

"I realized I haven't thanked you for coming after me when I ran out of camp," I said quietly. "Even though that meant that you landed right in the middle of this big mess with me."

"Well I couldn't have you go do something mouse-brained alone," Wolfshade said drily, his voice soft. "Who would have kept you safe then?"

I snorted, looking down at my paws.

"Am I being selfish?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"What?" Wolfshade meowed.

"Are we being selfish?" I said, pulling my gaze off of my paws and forcing myself to look at him. "For choosing to be together instead of me becoming a medicine cat? Would being a medicine cat be better for the Clan? The danger of the Kingdom is looming, what if something happens to Echosong? What if we—"

"Shh, Lightningfire," Wolfshade said, brushing his tail down my flank, and pressing himself to me, calming the whirling anxieties in my mind.

"Everything is going to be okay," he said. "I want— We can—"

He paused for a moment, swallowing.

"The Clan is important, of course. But, you deserve to be happy too," Wolfshade said, his gaze searching mine.

"If you think being a medicine cat is what you really want… That it would make you happy, then I'll let you go," he said, his gaze dropping from mine

 _"No!"_ I meowed, the conviction in my voice making his gaze snap back up to mine.

"No, you mouse-brain," I repeated in a quieter voice, giving my head a shake. "You are what make me happy."

His green eyes lit up.

"Good," he said, a purr creeping into his voice. "I was just checking…"

I pressed myself against his side, burying my face in his long fur for a moment.

"I could never leave you, Wolfshade," I said. "You're the one thing that I could never give up on."

"You did take care of me for ages during my long sleep," Wolfshade mused. "If I had been taking care of me, I would have given up two days in, _tops."_

I purred.

"Don't be ridiculous," I said with an amused head shake.

"No, I'm not kidding," Wolfshade said, widening his eyes at me in an mock-serious look.

"Then you spent all that time putting old memories back into my head. Tolerating me being a massive mouse-brain," he said in a teasing voice. "And, continuing to be my friend regardless. I really don't understand why you did it; in return you only got this."

Wolfshade lifted a paw to press to his chest to indicate himself.

"That's what I wanted," I said simply, my voice quiet.

A low purr rumbled out of Wolfshade's chest. He dropped his paw from it to press on top of my paw.

"I love you Wolfshade," I said, gazing into his eyes.

"You know, Lightning, the truth is, I'm _really_ glad you aren't a medicine cat," Wolfshade said.

"Me too," I replied.

Wolfshade's breath stirred my fur as he touched his nose to my forehead.

"And, I love you too, Lightningfire," he whispered into my fur.

All at once, a rush of emotion poured through me. It was like the past few days of stress and grief were struggling in my chest, at odds with the light that shone through me at Wolfshade's touch and at his words. There was some part of me that felt like I didn't deserve this light. I wasn't worthy of the happiness that he sparked in me when there was so much pain in my Clan and darkness in the world.

 _But, isn't this happiness what makes living bearable? What would we be without these moments?_

These little blissful reprieves are our redemption.

So, I gave into the light.

A strangled, desperate, and overjoyed purr burst from my throat. I pressed into Wolfshade's warm grey side and buried my face in his fur, breathing in his sharp pine scent, and feeling so happy that it hurt.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Hello everyone! As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!_

 _Reviews:_

 _Princessaurora2004: Haha yeah, Minttail's pretty petty. I don't want to give anything away :) … but some sort of confrontation with Silk/the rogues is definitely inevitable._

 _DarkPitchBlack: Lol I know, poor girl. Wolfshade will have to do as her therapist haha._

 _Featherfrost of Stormclan: Aw thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much!_

 _Firestaristhebest: I'm glad you want to read more about Silk! I'm working on her story currently. And, thanks! I know :( I'm trying to get back into drawing/posting more often. But, I can't wait to see some fan art from you! :D_

 _CloverTheBudgie: Lol I know! That awkward moment when Lightningfire realizes her and her boyfriend also live with his ex…_

 _Sorry I'm Late: Hey, no problem! I'm super excited to have you reading! I hope you're enjoying it! And, about the prey, it was sort of an over-sight on my part, but I assume that they sent a cat back to pick it up after they bring Ripper in (can't waste perfectly good prey!) I just didn't think that it was an important enough scene to include in the chapter._

 _Kolga1234221: Don't worry, I'm not going to stop writing this story until it's done! And, we'll just have to wait and see about Wolfshade's memory._

 _Brian: Huh, I didn't know that. I know things get hazy outside of the Clan, but I thought the warrior code just in general forbids murder and killing in battles. If it can be avoided, of course, there are exceptions like Firestar killing Scourge and in self-defense. Anyways, you're right that this is more of a personal moral issue with Lightningfire than a warrior-code issue._


	71. Chapter 70: I Can't Let It Be

As the moon crept higher and higher into the sky, Leafstar finally rose from where she crouched in the center of camp. She stretched each leg before bounding up Rockpile.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath Rockpile for a Clan meeting!" Leafstar yowled.

I nosed Wolfshade awake; he had dozed off on my flank after we finished our mouse. We turned to face Rockpile as the Clan filed in behind us. Wolfshade yawned and leaned sleepily against me. It wasn't long before everyone but Plumwillow, Wrenkit and Rosekit, who were up in the nursery, had gathered. Leafstar cleared her throat.

"The loss of any warrior is a tragic time for a Clan, and the loss of a deputy hits even harder," she meowed.

A mutter of agreement rose up from my clan-mates. Leafstar closed her eyes for a moment before drawing the strength continue.

"First, let me settle the matter of the prisoner. As you all know, Ripper was a prisoner of ours once before, before he escaped our camp."

There were murmurs and hisses from my clan mates around me.

"He knows where our territory and camp are. We cannot allow him to inform the rogues of the Kingdom because they want to kill our clan-mates Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver. And, they likely also want revenge for our patrol coming to rescue Lightningfire and Wolfshade, and the capture of Ripper," Leafstar continued.

The murmuring got louder, and now there were some yowls of outrage mixed in with the meows. I scanned the crowd, spotting Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver. They looked calm, but I could see a bit of fear in their eyes.

"We will remain vigilant for rogues on the border, and I will be increasing patrols in that part of the territory, as well as increasing battle training. For now, Ripper will remain SkyClan's prisoner with constant guarding until he can be properly dealt with," Leafstar announced, her voice loud to be heard over the voices.

Angry yowls broke out.

"What do you mean 'dealt with?'" Nightstorm shouted, leaping to his paws. "He was a part of the patrol that killed Sharpclaw! Don't we deserve revenge?"

There were some shouts of agreement. Leafstar gazed down at Nightstorm, narrowing her eyes.

"The rogues are around a day's journey downstream," Leafstar meowed. "If they find our territory, SkyClan will be prepared to fight them."

"Why wait?" Nightstorm snarled. "I say, take the fight to them! They are a threat that needs to be dealt with."

There were more yowls of agreement. I looked around at the crowd. Egg, Waspwhisker, and Briarspot were on their feet in support of Nightstorm.

Leafstar was quiet, and I could sense her thinking.

My fur prickled, and I felt myself rising to my paws almost against my will.

"You don't understand," I said, my voice low.

My clan-mates eyes drifted to me.

"These cats are not like the average rogues that we find sniffing at the edge of our borders," I said, my eyes skimming over my clan-mates. "The Kingdom is organized and vicious. They are led by a cat named Silk who they call 'Queen.' Although their battle-moves are not as finely honed as ours, they are still clearly trained in fighting and have no code to temper their claws. Battling them in their two-leg place, which is foreign to us, would be foolish. They know those thunder-paths like the back of their paws. And, they would fight to defend them until every last one of them was dead. What would we gain by battling them there? Do we want to drive them from the two-leg place? How much spilled blood is that goal worth?"

My words hung in the air. Nightstorm didn't answer them, but he did nod to me, acknowledging the wisdom in my words.

"Then what about Ripper?" Nightstorm asked, turning to look back up at our mother. "He is a drain on our resources as prisoner. We waste cats that should be hunting or patrolling to guard him. He eats our fresh-kill and does nothing but sit in that cave."

"What do you suggest we do with him, then, Nightstorm?" Leafstar asked, her voice low.

Nightstorm hesitated. I could see the words he wanted to say battering in his chest, but he was scared to. He was worried about what it would mean to bring them to life.

"We execute him," Nightstorm said, his voice quiet but unwavering.

An uneasy murmur went through my clan-mates, but there were no cries of outrage at his words. I felt my blood run cold. I exchanged a look with Wolfshade. His brow was furrowed.

 _Surely executing a cat is against the warrior code? Killing someone… just like that, not even in battle._

My gaze flickered over my shoulder towards the den Ripper was in.

 _But, if anyone deserved to be killed… after everything Ripper has done…_

Cats were whispering together; hostile looks were shot towards Ripper's den.

"Ripper will continue to be our prisoner," Leafstar said firmly. "If we kill him; then we are no better than a band rogues. We would be like the Kingdom."

Anger still smoldered in Nightstorm's eyes, but he bowed his head in silent acceptance of her words. I watched my brother, feeling a slight sense of unease for the first time towards him. His anger felt so powerful.

 _Nightstorm wouldn't outright disobey Leafstar and try to kill Ripper would he? No. He's a loyal warrior. But, he does have a point about Ripper…_

"And, now, comes the time to appoint our new deputy," Leafstar said, continuing like there had never been an interruption.

There had been though, and the mood of the Clan had become darker, like a growing storm, even as Nightstorm retook his seat.

Leafstar again closed her eyes for a moment before turning her gaze to the stars twinkling in the sky. I gazed up at my mother.

 _I wonder if she's asking StarClan to guide her. StarClan knows, we need their help._

"I say these words before the spirit of Sharpclaw, that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve my choice," Leafstar said.

She paused, sucking in a deep breath.

"The new deputy of SkyClan will be Lightningfire."

My jaw fell open in shock. The only sound was blood rushing in my ears and the whole Clan was dead silent for a heartbeat

"Lightningfire?!" Minttail echoed with a snarl of disgust.

"Yes, with all due respect, Leafstar, don't you think she is a bit young and inexperienced?" Petalnose called out.

"She's the one the ran away and caused Sharpclaw's death!" Minttail added.

There was rumbling from my clan-mates.

"I think she'll make a fine deputy," Sagewhisker meowed to his mother and sister, coming to my defense.

"You would say that. You've been in love with her for moons," Minttail growled, whirling on him with prickling fur.

My fur flushed with heat. I avoided looking at Sagewhisker and instead leaned towards Wolfshade.

"Lightningfire's young, yes, but when Firestar left us alone and responsible for SkyClan many of us were just as young, if not younger" Sparrowpelt cut in.

Wolfshade stirred against me.

"And, don't confuse age with experience. Lightningfire is not inexperienced. She's killed a badger, healed Echosong from her mystery sickness, captured Ripper _twice_... How many of you could say you've done the same?" Wolfshade said.

His voice was stern as he lifted his board head and challenged others to argue with his burning eyes.

 _Yes, but the badger killed Bouncefire. And, it mauled you, Wolfshade. Echosong is permanently weak and sickly. I let Ripper escape on purpose. And, I've killed a cat. What kind of deputy would I be?_

Guilt stabbed at me.

"She's smart and quick," Creekfeather added in agreement with Wolfshade.

My eyes widened in surprise at Creekfeather's defense. I'd thought he must hate me after everything I had put our patrol through.

Everyone began to speak at once, but Leafstar raised her tail, commanding silence.

"Settle down!" Leafstar said, her voice ringing out through the crowd.

My clan-mates reluctantly fell back into silence. I licked my lips nervously, wondering if I should say something in my defense. I still felt numb inside. The appointment hadn't yet fully registered.

"Seasons ago, on the day of Lightningfire's birth, StarClan visited Echosong," Leafstar meowed.

I felt the fur on my shoulder's rise.

 _The prophecy… She's telling the whole Clan?!_

"Echosong was given a prophecy," Leafstar said. "I believe this prophecy to be about Lightningfire."

There were murmurs of confusion among my clan-mates.

"Prophecy? What sort of prophecy?" Tinycloud meowed.

"What does that mean?" Ebonyclaw asked Leafstar.

"So just because there's a prophecy about her, it makes her the 'chosen one?'" I heard Minttail hiss, but not loudly enough for Leafstar to hear her from Rockpile.

"What does Echosong think about this?" Patchfoot called out above the murmuring, his voice level, giving none of his thoughts away.

The Clan turned to look at the medicine cat. Echosong rose to her paws.

"I wish that Leafstar had conferred with me first before deciding to reveal the prophecy," Echosong said, an edge of sharpness in her tone. "But, I do believe it involves Lightningfire. Although I'm not comfortable with revealing the full prophecy at this time."

With a swish of her tail, Echosong retook her seat. I remembered the fighting cats and the darkness that I've seen in my visions.

 _I wonder if she's worried about causing a panic._

My clan-mates didn't seem satisfied with the medicine cat's answer. They continued to whisper.

"We deserve to know," I heard Petalnose say in a hushed voice.

"Besides the prophecy," Leafstar continued loudly. "Lightningfire showed great leadership skills beyond her moons when she led the patrol to capture Ripper and return to SkyClan. And, let me clear up any confusion: Lightningfire and I were arguing because I was trying to force her to be something she's not. I wanted her to be SkyClan's medicine cat, when now it is clear to me that she is meant to be SkyClan's deputy."

 _"Mousedung!"_ someone spat softly.

"It's just because she's her daughter," a voiced whispered from behind me.

I whipped my head around to defend Leafstar, but before I could, I saw the fur rise on my mother's shoulders. Leafstar lashed her tail once.

"That is enough! I am SkyClan's leader and my word is law. And, I say Lightningfire is the new deputy!"

Leafstar bounded off of Rockpile, making it clear that this meeting was over.

Leafstar stalked off, and Brackenstorm bounded to her side, murmuring something in her ear. Whatever he said drained the tension from her shoulders and she briefly leaned against him.

"Congratulations," Briarspot murmured to me.

My eyes snapped to her.

"Thanks," I muttered in reply.

She nodded and padded off. Nightstorm met my eyes and dipped his head to me from across the camp.

"Congrats, Lightningfire," Owlpaw said, padding over to me.

Her yellow eyes were wide, showing a flash of her normal excited self through the cloud of grief that hung around her head.

"Thank you, Owlpaw," I said.

I bent my head to give her creamy-white forehead a lick.

"Maybe you'll be deputy after me. I bet Sharpclaw would like that," I murmured.

I saw sadness cloud her gaze, but Owlpaw's gave a brave purr.

"I think he will," she replied, casting her gaze up to search the star filled sky.

She padded off with a meow of goodbye.

Whisperheart also came over to offer her congratulations. But, most of my clan-mates just drifted back to their dens. I got some nods, but I got some upset looks too.

"What has gotten into everyone?" Wolfshade said in a whisper.

"With the discovery of the Kingdom, our peaceful life has been turn upside down," I meowed. "And, I think they blame me for coming in contact with the rogues in the two-leg place."

"That's mouse-brained," Wolfshade said. "I'm sure they'll come around soon."

I shrugged.

"That's the way it is," I said. "They look for something or someone to blame because that's easier than accepting that some things are just out of our control."

I gave snort of bitter amusement, shaking my head.

"I know I do that," I pointed out. "Remember how you tried to talk me out of it in the root prison?"

"I was trying to talk you out of blaming yourself," Wolfshade said, shooting me a sharp look. "Do you still? Do you agree with them? And, think you deserve this treatment by them?"

"I'll fight my hardest to be a good deputy and earn their loyalty," I said, not exactly answering his question.

"Do you want to be deputy?" Wolfshade meowed in a quiet voice.

I hesitated, thinking about it for a moment. I replayed the moment that Leafstar announced it in my head, trying to pin down my emotions. They flickered in my mind like flashes of fish just under the gleaming surface of a pool. There was the numb shock. Then anxiety as I felt all my worries and insecurities surge in me all at once. But, it was followed by a bolt of excitement, which sizzled through me from nose to tail-tip in an instant before fading to be replaced by a dull ache as I felt the responsibility of it settle on my shoulders.

"Yes. I do," I said. "As a kit, I'd imagine what it would be like to be deputy then leader. My mother is leader, and what little kit doesn't want to be just like her mother."

I shook my head.

"Of course, as a kit, you don't realize the cost that must be paid to become deputy or leader," I said in a soft voice. "Death itself is something that you can't even imagine."

I sighed, shutting my eyes for a moment.

"Now I hope that I never have to be leader," I meowed quietly.

"Leafstar has a long life ahead of her," Wolfshade said, reaching over to touch my paw with his reassuringly.

"I would have said the same thing about Sharpclaw a few sunrises ago," I pointed out, glancing over at him. "Now look at us. The winds have changed, Wolfshade."

I gazed out into the distance, my eyes losing focus.

"I wonder if it's like this in the other Clans all the time?" I continued, as my mind drifted. "They are always in conflict with each other. While we never have run-in's with other big groups of cats like this. Our Clan is in unfamiliar territory."

Wolfshade nodded slowly, his face thoughtful.

"Do you think it's easier on them?" he meowed. "Can you get used to it?"

"To a degree, I suppose," I mused. "But, can you really ever get fully used to violence and death?"

Wolfshade gave a long sigh, looking up at the stars.

"Do you think the rogues will find us?" Wolfshade meowed.

"Who can say?" I meowed with a shoulder shrug, feeling pessimistic thoughts swirl.

"I think it's inevitable," Wolfshade muttered, seeming to echo my silent sentiment. "Whisperheart, Iceshiver, and Tatteredtail made it here. Ripper too. If they want to find us badly, then they will."

I nodded, feeling something like a stone settle into my belly.

"You bought us time," Wolfshade continued. "Valuable time to prepare. But, they're going to come."

"Then we won't waste the time we have. We will be ready," I meowed.

I glanced up at the stars, searching with my gaze through Silverpelt, trying to find our ancestors.

But, all the stars looked the same.

I lowered my gaze back to my paws.

 _I guess it's just up to us then._

"Let's head to our nest," I meowed. "I'm tired."

"Okay," he meowed.

Wolfshade leaned over and touched his nose to mine. Our gaze's met, and I saw silver star-light in his eyes.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Hello! Thank you all for your reviews and for reading! I hope you liked the chapter :)_

 _Reviews:_

 _DarkPitchBlack: Aw I know :( They miss him a lot._

 _Featherfrost of Stormclan: Haha yeah I didn't have her mention that Ripper was Silk's son. I guess Lightningfire just didn't think it was relevant lol. They are aware that there is the strong possibility of attack though!_

 _CloverTheBudgie: Haha, yep, you called it!_

 _Princessaurora2004: Thank you! Lol, don't worry about it. I know that since there are gaps between me putting out chapters, it's easy to get confused or forget who's who or what someone looks like haha. Sigh, I wish I could write faster, but life sometimes gets in the way! And, aw, it's okay! I'm traveling now too haha. I wrote this chapter in a hotel room._

 _FerncloudLover: Aw thank you so much! I'm really happy that you think so; it means a lot to me!_

 _Brian: Yeah, I re-read the code to refresh myself on it. How I've always imagined the Clans to be at least, is that the cats have more of a general feel of how the code goes rather than specifics of what is said. (I feel like this makes sense, because cats can't write after all, and although apprentice know things like: "queens and elders must be fed first," no where in the books do we see apprentices chanting the warrior code to memorize it word for word or being tested by their mentors to quote all of the rules or anything.) So, for example, a warrior knows: "don't kill" while what exceptions to that rule that are allowed are up to the personal moral interpretation of the specific warrior, or the Clan leader. So there will be cats like Hollyleaf (before the whole Ashfur-thing) that try to follow the code to a tee. While there will be others that are more lax on themselves (without technically breaking the code,) and clan leaders that are more lax with what they expect from their Clan than others. This may not be 100% canon, but that's how I've always seen the warrior code at least._

 _Also, this is sort of tangential, but one of the big reasons that I chose to set this fanfic in SkyClan was because of their unique relationship with the warrior code/ their status as a Clan. The big thing with them, of course, is day-light warriors, which goes against the rule that warriors reject the life a kitty-pet. Because of SkyClan's isolation from the other clans (at least, within my story's universe/timeline, I know that stuff is happening in the new books with SkyClan,) and their dependency on outside help (kitty-pets) it gives a really unique opportunity for me to explore a kind of conflict which would not be available if the story was set in the other Clans. SkyClan is so new, and so different, that they are still struggling to stamp out their identity. There is this conflict between the "old way" which is the strict interpretation of the warrior code, and the "new way" which are day-light warriors, and other necessities that may go against the code, but SkyClan needs to do to survive. If kitty-pets can join the Clan, what's to stop SkyClan from bending or breaking other rules? (Like killing, although granted that's an extreme example.) And, how many rules can be broken before SkyClan is no longer a "Clan" but just a group of cats, or perhaps a "Tribe?" Also, I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. And, haha geez, sorry that this turned into such a long reply. I just got thinking about it, and it sort of spiraled out of control lol._


	72. Chapter 71: The Deputy

I threw myself intently into my deputy duties in the days following our return home. The whole Clan was busy with the increased patrolling and battle-training. And, I was busy trying to organize the patrols, keeping track of who was where, trying not to overwork any one cat, while juggling Owlpaw's training.

It was exhausting.

Most of the time I just felt numb and tired, scrambling around like an anxious rabbit, trying not to spend too much time dwelling on the mounting threat of attack, or thinking about the Kingdom at all, or the brown rogue with mustard-yellow eyes, while keeping the Clan moving smoothly.

 _I can't slip up with my duties. I have to keep up. I owe it to Sharpclaw. And, I owe it to my Clan. I have to prove to myself, and to them, that I am worthy of the prophecy. And, that I'm worthy of the_ good _meaning of the prophecy. That "searing and scorching" will help us… not hurt us. I won't mess this up. I promise, Sharpclaw._

"Lightningfire?" Nettlesplash called, waving his tail at me from across the camp, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I had been on my way to change out Waspwhisker as Ripper's guard, but I glanced over at Nettlesplash from across camp, curling my tail in a question to indicate that I heard him.

"You only assigned me and Sparrowpelt on this hunting patrol. Do you want more cats to join us?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, uh," I said looking around at the cats flowing around me, busily moving about the camp. "Fallowfern, you can go with Nettlesplash on his hunting patrol, right?"

The brown she-cat stopped walking to look at me quizzically.

"Okay…" she meowed, tilting her head at me. "But, I thought you wanted me on the sun-high border patrol."

"Mouse-dung!" I meowed, giving my head a sharp shake. "That's right. Sorry, stay on the border patrol. Um…"

I looked around frantically.

"Oh! Tinycloud, Sootypaw, can you two join Nettlesplash on a hunting patrol?" I meowed, dashing over to them.

"Sure," Tinycloud meowed.

"Great," I said with a nod, giving Nettlesplash a wave of my tail to indicate that they would be joining him.

Tinycloud and Sootypaw headed over to him, and I turned, continuing to Ripper's den.

"Minttail," I called loudly, motioning her over with a tail twitch.

Minttail padded over to me from across camp, her paws dragging in reluctance.

"Waspwhisker, Minttail will take over Ripper guard duty," I said to him.

I was pleased that Minttail didn't protest as she stalked away. Although she had been vocal about her displeasure at my appointment as deputy, she and my other clan-mates have been following my orders without too much grumbling. My gaze followed Minttail to Ripper's den, and inadvertently, they met Ripper's. I felt a rush of anger that rose the fur on my shoulders when I saw those orange eyes, and quickly, I looked away.

I wandered away from Ripper's den feeling unsettled. I felt almost sick to my stomach, feeling it clench and churn. My lip curled up slightly.

 _I hate seeing his face and thinking about what he did to Sharpclaw._

His face reminded me of another face too— the brown rogue's.

I shuddered.

It felt like Ripper was able to taunt me about his death without even saying anything. A deep growl rose in my throat, and I dug my claws into the ground, a dark haze settling over my vision, making everything shadowed. I blinked, jolting myself out of the mood.

 _I need to clear my head._

I shook out my pelt, trying to remove the unpleasant thoughts like clinging cobwebs.

 _Getting out of camp will help. I should put some space between myself and Ripper._

I had already set out all of the patrols that I needed for now. And, since I changed Ripper's guard, I should have a little bit of free time from now until sunset, at which time I'll have to switch out Ripper's guard again and set up the Skyrock look out.

I lifted my head, feeling the breeze stir my whiskers. The green-leaf sun shone down brightly, but at dawn this morning I had noticed a chill in the air. Leaf-fall was coming. I decided I would take out another hunting patrol. We needed to eat plenty of prey now to keep our strength for the coming cold.

 _And, the coming storm._

I shivered despite the warmth of the sun on my pelt.

I spotted Owlpaw padded past with a mouthful of clean moss, heading towards the elder's den. I bounded over to her.

"After you finish with that we're going hunting," I said.

Her tail stuck straight up in excitement. I could hear her meowing something in a fast voice, but the words were too muffled by the moss for me to make out.

I felt my heart warm to see the light in my apprentice. Somehow, she managed to stay full of life despite the death of her father still being such a raw wound.

I gave an amused shake of my head at her meowing, nudging her along with my muzzle.

"Hurry up!" I told her good-naturedly.

After I sent her scampering off, I headed towards the warriors den to muster up the rest of my patrol. I scaled the sandy cliff to the cave and poked my head inside. The den was mostly empty. Only a paw-ful of cats were still sleeping through the morning. I spotted Nightstorm's black and white pelt, and I padded over to him.

"Hey," I meowed, poking his shoulder with my paw. "I'm leading a hunting patrol. Wanna come?"

Nightstorm groaned, cracking open an eye.

"But, you had me on guard duty on Skyrock all night," he said, his voice a low, irritated grumble.

"Does that mean you get to spend all day sleeping?" I said back, a hint of impatience in my tone.

He grunted, blinking both green eyes open. As he lifted his head, he stretched his jaw open a massive yawn.

"This deputy thing has made you so bossy, sister," Nightstorm said in his deep, rumbling voice, but I saw his whiskers give a faint twitch of amusement.

"I'll meet you down in camp in a few," I said with a pleased tail swish as I turned and headed back out of the den.

I sigh as I picked my way down the cliff, wishing that Wolfshade could come on the patrol with me, but I had already sent him out on the dawn patrol earlier today. Down in camp, I caught Ravenfur and Ripplepaw coming back from battle-training, and invited them along on the hunting patrol. After Nightstorm and Owlpaw came bounding over, the five of us were off.

I led our patrol into the forest at a trot, and as the trees rose up around us like leafy sentinels, the air around me was still, hot, and heavy, pressing down on me like a huge, bloated blanket of moss. I panted slightly, giving my pelt a shake, wishing for even a slight breeze to stir my fur and offer a cool touch to my skin. But, my wish was in vain. The air remained heavy and still.

 _Maybe I was wrong about leaf-fall coming._

Birdsong rung out from above us, mixed in with the droning of insects. Sunshine dappled the forest floor through the leaves of the trees, turning the ground before me golden and green. As we walked, I tilted my muzzle up, scenting the air for prey.

"What prey can you scent, Owlpaw?" I asked my apprentice.

She eagerly raised her nose in a manner that copied mine, her golden eyes glinting in the uneven sunlight.

"There's some mouse scent nearby," she said.

"Very good," I meowed. "Why don't you go track it down."

Owlpaw's fur rippled in excitement, and she crouched down, slinking away through the undergrowth.

Ripplepaw and Ravenfur split off, diffusing into the trees to cover more hunting ground, leaving only me and my brother.

"Bird," Nightstorm said, his voice a breath.

I had spotted the little song-bird a split second before he said anything.

"It's mine," I whispered.

I drifted forward in a crouch, my paws gliding over the ground, the leaf-litter beneath them barely stirring. My eyes were locked on the small bird. It was pecking at something on the ground at the base of an oak tree. It was so intent on its task, it had no idea I was coming. I prepared to pounce.

A sudden breeze rose up behind me, bringing my scent rushing towards the bird. Its head jerked up as it caught my scent, and its small, yellow eyes met mine. I gave a startled jerk, blinking in surprise, my mind suddenly consumed with the image of the brown rogue's wide, scared mustard-yellow eyes. I gave my head a sharp shake, snapping myself out of it. The bird took off with an alarm call, and I sprung, but heartbeats too late.

"Mousedung," I cursed, watching the bird flitter off. "Of course, now it decided to be windy."

"Sloppy, Lightningfire," Nightstorm said, padding over to me, shaking his head.

I felt my stomach clench slightly.

 _He's right. I have to put this rogue out of my head._

"The mighty deputy and subject of the prophecy misses a bird," Nightstorm added, his whiskers twitching in amusement.

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh put a mouse in it," I said, but with a hint of affection in my mew.

Nightstorm took the lead, padding off while sniffing the air for more prey scent.

"Well, at least you're not tiptoeing around the prophecy like the rest of our clan-mates," I continued, following him. "I can't tell you how many times these past few sunrises that I've walked up to a group of cats deep in conference, then suddenly all the whispering stops as soon as they catch sight or scent of me."

"The prophecy and the rogues has everyone on edge," Nightstorm said in a deep voice over his shoulder.

"I'm still me though," I insisted. "It's like now that they know there's a prophecy about me, they think suddenly I'm going to sprout wings or something."

Nightstorm snorted.

"Wouldn't that be something," he said.

"You're not being very helpful right now," I huffed, tail tip twitching. "What do you think I should do?"

"I don't know if there's anything you can do," Nightstorm meowed. "It's them that have to get used to it."

I sighed.

"I still can't believe that Leafstar told everyone," I said. "I mean, I don't even know what it means, and it's about me. Now everyone is just as confused as me, if not more."

Nightstorm glanced at me from over his shoulder, his green eyes sparking with interest. I could practically scent his curiosity and eagerness to ask more about the prophecy. But, he remained silent, waiting for me to continue.

I hesitated, wondering how many of my concerns I should voice to my brother.

"How does the prophecy work? Are my paws trapped on this path, sending me towards this fate, no matter how I resist?" I asked.

I shook my head.

"Should I even resist or just embrace it? I hate this. Feeling like I have no control. That no matter which way I wanted to turn or how far I run that I'd still end up in the same place. With the same prophecy looming over me like a storm," I said.

Nightstorm was quiet for a moment.

"That's the funny thing about fate, I guess," Nightstorm said finally. "When a cat is born, is their life already written in the stars? Or do we carve that path out ourselves with every choice we make?"

I watched him, listening closely.

"Maybe it doesn't matter one way or the other. You're going to make the choices you're going to make, regardless of whether or not StarClan, or the universe, or whatever already knew what was going to happen," Nightstorm said.

"Then why do they interfere?" I challenged. "Why give us a prophecy if I have no control about how it ends?"

"Simply to warn us of what's coming," Nightstorm said in a deep, quiet voice.

I was silent, feeling like there was nothing I could say to argue with that.

"Still, I feel like I should be able to do more," I said in a low voice. "I should have been able to save Sharpclaw... Ripper—"

"That bone-cruncher shouldn't even still be alive," Nightstorm snarled, cutting me off. "He should be rotting in the ground. Not being waited on like a kit while he lounges around in his den."

My heart pounded loudly in my chest. The fur on my shoulders rose as I felt Nightstorm's anger infect me, burrowing a dark seed into my heart, making my claws unsheathe.

"He does nothing but eat our fresh-kill and waste the energy of our warriors who have to guard him. When we should be training and hunting and patrolling and preparing for the rogues," Nightstorm said, tail lashing.

I growled softly in agreement. Nightstorm's cold rationality was like an icy claw cutting through this hot air around us. I saw Ripper's orange eyes in my mind, and the edges of my vision went dark, the forest around me disappearing as my vision tunneled so his face was all that I could see.

"He doesn't deserve to live," I whispered. "Bringing him here was a mistake. I shouldn't have done that."

I saw the orange eyes turn mustard yellow, then go wide for a heartbeat before becoming hollow. I jerked, feeling the hot, sticky, salty gush of blood in my mouth.

My tongue probed a small jagged wound; I had bitten my cheek on accident.

Nightstorm gave a nod but was silent. He wouldn't say what I left unsaid out loud, but he agreed with me.

 _I should have killed Ripper._

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Sorry for the delay in putting the chapter out, everyone. I just wanted to give a quick explanation since I've gotten a couple of reviews asking me to write faster. I know that you guys are only asking because you guys like the story and want to read more of it, and it makes me really happy that you like my story and characters. But, I want to say that although I love these characters and writing this story, my life doesn't revolve around it. I'm working a full-time job this summer, and I have other hobbies and obligations like my family, friends, and boyfriend. Some days when I get home from my job, I'm just too burnt out to do anything besides add a sentence or two to the next chapter. It's also important to me that these chapters come out high quality for my readers to enjoy, which means re-reading and editing them after finishing writing for typos or whatever error (although things often slip through, so don't be scared to leave a review politely correcting me if you see something so that I can fix it!) This editing takes time though. I also occasionally go through very busy or stressful periods, like most people do, during which basically all my writing screeches to a halt until I get through whatever I'm dealing with. (Like how last summer around this time I broke my wrist. Haha hopefully that doesn't happen again.) My point being, I know that it sucks having to wait for chapters to be put out (I follow other writers and online comic artists too, so I definitely get it haha) and that sometimes because of the time gaps people forget some things that have happened. But, that's the trade off for being on the front lines and getting to read a story as it's created rather than waiting for its completion. Reading it as I write it has some benefits too, however, because you are able to interact directly with me, the author. During the gaps between chapters anyone can feel free to message me here or on my deviantart account of the same username, if they want to chat about the story, my characters, warriors in general, cats, writing, drawing, or anything else (I might have to give vague answers if you ask me about something that involves spoilers for the story though lol.) Also I promise I'm way faster with responding to PM's than I am with putting up chapters haha._

 _And, regardless of the amount of time that it takes me to put out a chapter, I won't stop writing this story until it is finished!_

 _Also, everyone should go to the website deviantart, and check out the account of ToxicUniverse! There are amazing Lightning's Destiny pictures on there that she's working on!_

 _Okay well now that those public service announcements are done, onto the reviews! I hope you guys like the chapter. What do you think of Nightstorm's point of view? Does he have a point? What will happen next?_

 _Reviews:_

 _Princessaurora2004: Haha I think I should be apologizing to you guys for taking so long with this chapter. And, lol yeah Lightningfire becoming deputy isn't too surprising. The prophecy is "Lightning sears and scorches all in its path. Thunder will rip through the Sky. But, peace will come in the sunrise after the storm."_

 _FerncloudLover: Thank you! And, I think most of you guys saw it coming haha. She is the main character after all._

 _Featherfrost of Stormclan: Haha I'm hoping to release the first part of Silk's story along with the next chapter of Lightning's Destiny! It takes place in the past, so you won't see Silk's reaction to Ripper being stolen away, but you'll get a glimpse into her life!_

 _Brian.H.H: Happy very belated Birthday! Sorry about the late chapter, ugh I feel bad about keeping all you guys waiting._

 _Hazelflight: Thanks so much! And, yes, they do, but unfortunately not within the time frame of this story; they have them afterwards. The kits, as adorable as they'd be, just don't work with the plot that I have worked out. But, since we don't get to meet them in the story, I'll give you their names and descriptions! They have three kits. One daughter's name is Shadewing; she has long fur that is dark grey (she looks a lot like her dad) and amber eyes. Their other daughter's name is Lilydapple. Her fur is long, and she is a calico, so she's white, orange, and black, and she has green eyes. Their son's name is Foxbreeze. His fur is shorter than his sisters', still fluffy, but more medium in length. He is an orange tabby with a white chest and blue eyes._

 _Firestaristhebest: Here it is lol, sorry it's so late._


	73. Chapter 72: Written in The Stars

We made it back to camp just before sunset. I was able to complete my final assignments for the day, putting Patchfoot on Ripper guard duty for the night. I felt a twinge as I watched the warrior pad over to the prisoner's den.

 _Too bad a badger or a fox can't just appear in the den with Ripper._

I shook my head, trying to dislodge the thoughts. My shadow stretched out before me, long and looming over me, like it was offering a judgement on the thoughts that swirled in my mind. Uneasily, I looked away from it, turning my gaze instead to the sunset that cast it.

 _No use in thinking that._

"Watch it!"

I turned towards the voice, pulled out of my dark musings.

Plumwillow's kits, Maplekit and Hazelkit were scrambling down the cliff-side into camp. Hazelkit, eager to get ahead, had thrown herself forward into her brother, and it was he that squeaked out the cry. He turned to Hazelkit, his bright tabby ginger fur bristling.

"You stepped on my tail!" he complained.

"Well I wouldn't have if you had moved faster, you sleepy dormouse," Hazelkit said back, her voice fiery.

"I'm not a mouse!" the kit complained, his wide green eyes stretched wide.

Him and his sister were only one moon old, and they had that cute look of young kits— huge eyes, fluffy kit-fur, stumpy legs and tails. I purred quietly to myself. Seeing them so young and innocent kindled a little light inside of me. I wanted to go to them and curl my tail around them, giving their foreheads an affection lick.

Plumwillow closely followed her kits out of the den, following them down the steep clid-side trail to the camp from the nursery.

"Maplekit! Hazelkit! Be careful!" she meowed, her eyes wide.

Maplekit slowed, but Hazelkit ignored her, dashing down the last few tail-lengths of the trail at top speed.

I shook my head, giving a quiet purr of amusement as Plumwillow made it down to camp and scolded her unruly daughter. My thoughts drifted as I remembered the quarrels and trouble I would get into as a kit with Nightstorm.

 _Kits are a lot of work. It must be even harder for Plumwillow. She'll want to protect them even more fiercely since she lost one and her mate._

Rosekit and Wrenkit emerged from the mouth of the nursery.

"Lightningfire!" Rosekit yowled, spotting me down in camp.

I pricked my ears in her direction in response. Her and Wrenkit went barreling down the cliffside, paw-steps strong and confident on the trail down the nursery. They came running straight to me, tails stuck straight up in the air.

"Today is our apprentice ceremony!" Wrenkit meowed gleefully, his green eyes sparking.

"I know," I purred. "Do you think I've forgotten?"

"Who are our mentors?" Rosekit asked, kneading the ground with her claws in excitement and impatience. "You're deputy now, so you and Mom must have talked about it."

"My lips are sealed," I said in a solemn voice, but my whiskers twitched in amusement.

"I can't believe you're deputy," Wrenkit meowed. "I hope I get to be deputy after you!"

I purred faintly in response. My little brother may be six moons old now, with big ears and gangly paws, but in someways he was still a kit. And, he didn't realize what wishing that entailed— either my death or the death of our mother.

"Look, Leafstar is coming," I said, watching our mother emerge from her den.

I bent my head down to give my siblings a quick lick on each of their heads to flatten their long fur.

"Good luck!" I purred, leaving them standing their wide-eyed with excitement.

I rose to my paws, padding over the Rockpile to take a seat at its base. As I sat down, I felt the heavy cowl of responsibility settle over me. This was the deputy's seat. And, now it was mine.

Leafstar nodded to me as she walked past to climb up Rockpile. In a few easy bounds, she was at the top of the pile.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath Rockpile for a Clan meeting!" Leafstar yowled.

I watched my clan-mates gather around. I lifted my chin, feeling their gazes flicker from my mother to me. I gave a self-conscious ear twitch as their eyes drifted over me.

 _I hope I look sufficiently deputy-ish._

 _Oh no, is my fur sticking up or something?_

As I scanned the crowd, my gaze met Wolfshade's. His eyes shone with pride as he gazed back at me. He gave a reassuring nod to me, and I took a deep breath, feeling myself relax slightly.

"Today we gather for an important ceremony in clan-life," Leafstar began. "The making of new apprentices. And, we are reminded that despite whatever hardships we face, SkyClan continues to grow strong."

My clan-mates gave nods and murmurs of agreement.

"Rosekit, Wrenkit, please step forward," Leafstar said, the pride apparent in her voice.

I watched my younger siblings pad into the center of the camp, and everyone's eyes turned to them. Their pelts were groomed, and their eyes shone as they looked up at our mother. I spotted Brackenstorm in the crowd, and he looked just as proud as Leafstar as he watched his younger kits began their journey to becoming warriors.

"Rosekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed," Leafstar said. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Rosepaw. Your mentor will be Petalnose. I hope Petalnose will pass down all she knows on to you."

The slim pale-grey warrior padded over to Rosepaw's side. I gave a slight nod of conformation to myself as I looked at her. Leafstar and I had chosen Petalnose to mentor Rosepaw in hopes that her more patient demeanor would temper Rosepaw's impatient impulsiveness. She was stern, but motherly. She would match well with Rosepaw, since her hardheadedness would need a firm paw at times.

"Petalnose, you are ready to take on a new apprentice," Leafstar said. "You have given excellent training to Sagewhisker and Ravenfur, and you have shown yourself to be patient and wise. You will be the mentor of Rosepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Rosepaw and Petalnose touched muzzles, then stepped back.

Leafstar's gaze flickered to my younger brother's. His fluffy light tabby and white fur was bushed out in excitement.

"Wrenkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Wrenpaw," Leafstar meowed.

For Wrenpaw, Leafstar wanted to give a younger warrior the chance to be his mentor. My gave flickered across the crowd, setting on Minttail's grey tabby pelt. Leafstar had suggested Minttail since she was the oldest warrior who had not yet gotten the chance to mentor an apprentice. I did my best to not let personal bias get the better of me, but still I had objected. I didn't think my free-spirited little brother would do well under Minttail's nagging. Leafstar had accepted my concerns.

"Your mentor will be Nightstorm," Leafstar said. "I hope Nightstorm will pass down all he knows on to you."

I saw the same delight mirror on the expressions of both of my brothers' faces for a moment. But, Nightstorm quickly smoothed his expression into a more neutral one as he stood up and walked over to Wrenpaw. Wrenpaw, though, was practically vibrating with excitement. He looked so happy that his older brother, who he looked up to so much, got to be his mentor.

"Nightstorm, you are ready to take on an apprentice," Leafstar said. "You have received excellent training from Sharpclaw, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and hardworking. You will be the mentor of Wrenpaw and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Nightstorm nodded solemnly up to my mother, but when he bent his head to touch noses with Wrenpaw, I saw his eyes light up, and he wore the same excited expression that he would get like when we were little kits. I purred softly to myself.

"Rosepaw! Wrenpaw!" The clan shouted, and I raised my voice among them.

The clan surged forward to congratulate the new mentors and apprentices. I saw Owlpaw, Ripplepaw, and Adderpaw excitedly bouncing around my siblings, excited to be den-mates again. I stood and padded forward a few steps, but didn't force myself into the crowd. Instead, I just watched my happy clan-mates from a short distance. I made sure my gaze met with Wrenpaw's, Rosepaw's, and Nightstorm's, giving each of them a pleased nod, so they knew I was happy for them. Then my gaze drifted to the side. Plumwillow was attempted to herd her kits away from the crowd. Hazelkit was loudly complaining about why she and her brother couldn't be apprentices right now too. I purred quietly to myself, watching them for a moment, before my gaze drifted again. This time towards the cave that held Ripper. Patchfoot sat closely in front of it; he had watched the ceremony from over there. I gazed at the hole in the cliff-face. I could feel the anger kindling in me again, swirling in my stomach, rolling in like a dark storm cloud to blot-out the happiness from the sun that had been shining only heart-beats before.

"What's that face about?" I heard Wolfshade's voice meow suddenly.

I blinked, snapped out of my thoughts; Wolfshade must have padded over to me without me noticing. My gaze slid from Ripper's cave over to Wolfshade's face. I allowed my eyes to flitter over his familiar, comforting features for a moment before settling to looking into his deep green-grey eyes.

"What face?" I asked. "I wasn't making a face."

"You were," he insisted. "It's your thinking face. You jut out your chin a little and purse your lips."

I licked my lips, adjusting the position of my jaw. I realized my jaw did feel a little stiff.

"It's nothing," I said, giving my head a small shake.

I looked away from him, glancing back towards my siblings.

"I'm happy for them," I said, deliberately changing the subject.

"You should be," Wolfshade said with a nod. "They'll be fine warriors one day. And, Nightstorm will be a good mentor."

I nodded. Wolfshade leaned over and pressed his muzzle into my shoulder fur.

"You seem tired," he said, his breath stirring my fur. "Want to head up to the den?"

My jaws stretched open in a wide yawn at the mention of the den. I was tired. My deputy duties, and the other stresses that weighed me down sapped at my energy.

I ran through my mental list of tasks. Everything seemed taken care of.

"Yeah," I meowed. "Let's go to sleep."

The heat of the day hadn't faded with the setting of the sun. I was curled up next to Wolfshade in our nest. When I had entered the den, I still felt that uneasiness in my chest, and I had wanted to be close to him, to use his loving presence as a balm to soothe the wounds inside of me. But, now in the face of this unending heat, the press of Wolfshade's pelt felt too stifling. Panting slightly, I gently wiggled myself out of his embrace, ducking under his big paw, and scooted a little ways away. Wolfshade stirred as he felt my body move from his side, and his eyes flickered open, as he immediately became alert for danger. I leaned over to touch my nose to his ear-tip reassuringly.

"Sorry. Everything's okay. Just too hot," I meowed.

Wolfshade quickly relaxed again, his eyelids drooping.

"It's okay, Light," he mumbled, his voice trailing off as sleep wrapped its dark wings around him again. "Goodnight…"

I purred in response. I looked at his face, feeling my heart give a blaze of warmth. As my gaze stayed fixed on his relaxed features, I too let my eyes shut, and I was swept away on a dark wave of sleep.

My eyes opened to darkness.

I was violently shoved on one side. I whirled around, trying to see what hit me, only to be jostled on my other side. I stumbled, struggling to stay on my paws as I felt writhing pelts on all sides of me.

"Get away!" I snarled, whirling with my claws flashing.

My claws made contact. Suddenly I could see one of the cats before me.

It was the brown tom with yellow eyes. He gazed at me with wide eyes, mouth slightly ajar as blood dripped from his lips, a gaping crimson wound in his throat.

Then his face blurred, changing, and suddenly it was Ripper standing, bleeding before me, the light fading from his orange eyes.

My eyes flew open.

I panted heavily, sitting up, blinking as my vision adjusted to the darkness. I had flung moss everywhere around me while I had twisted in my sleep. I looked over to Wolfshade. He was still sleeping soundly.

 _Good thing I had moved. Otherwise, he'd be as awake as I am now._

I sighed heavily, my shoulders slumped down.

 _These dreams…_

I shuddered, shaking my pelt like I could dislodge the dreams like a spiderweb that snagged on my fur.

 _Why do I have to relive that rogue's death every time my eyes shut?_

I rose to my paws. I wanted a drink of water. Or, to move at least. Do anything to keep myself from drifting too far back into my own mind.

I slipped out of the warriors' den, trekking down the cliffside into camp. I padded across the sandy clearing to the stream, bending my head to lap at the water, my thoughts swirling uneasily. I straightened, then turned back around to survey the camp. I saw the distant, black silhouette of the guard up on Skyrock, then closer to me, the outline of Patchfoot, sitting in front of Ripper's den.

My tail slowly started to twitch.

 _Ripper…_

Should I speak with him? Would confronting him help chase the shadows out of my mind? Or would it just fuel them, making them stronger?

I swallowed, tail sweeping across the ground indecisively.

I couldn't do _nothing,_ though. How could I continue to live in this half-light, feeling like I'm just barely keeping it together, walking on a razor-thin cliff edge. I needed to fall, or I needed to reach a wide, safe field, were I could run without fear. I couldn't stay on the cliff. Or, else I would be worn to the bone trying to hold myself together, driven mad playing this dangerous game of balance.

A decision made, I slowly rose to my paws, walking over to Ripper's den. I approached Patchfoot, watching his ears perk in attention as I padded up to him.

"I'm feeling restless," I said to Patchfoot, the words coming out with surprising ease.

It didn't really feel like I was the one saying them. The real me was trapped in my mind, stalking among the shadows there. The cat talking was just someone doing their best to pretend to be me.

"And, there's no reason for the both of us to be awake," I continued. "You can leave guard duty and get some sleep. I'll take over."

I stood in silence, waiting for his response. Ordering around more senior warriors still felt sort of bizarre, but to my relief, Patchfoot didn't question it. He only gave a nod and padded off with a murmured goodnight. I watched him go, quietly waiting until his black and white tail disappeared into the warriors' den before I took a deep breath and approached the cave that held Ripper prisoner.

"Hello, Princess," Ripper's slickly sweet voice dripped out of the darkness of the den. "What have I done for the deputy to grace me with her presence from upon high?"

I didn't reply, only crept closer to the cave, slipping into the shadows to enter inside.

I blinked hard, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the low light. I could only see a faint outline of Ripper, and the glint of his reflective eyes peering back at me from the darkness.

"Not feeling chatty?" he meowed in his snide voice. "Why did you dismiss Patchfoot from guard duty if not to talk?"

Suddenly my calm exterior snapped as I felt a surge of white hot anger rise up in me, screaming in my chest, reaching a slashing paw through the cage my ribs made to claw at him.

"Shut up," I hissed, lashing my tail, the fur down my back bristling. "Shut up! I've had enough of you!"

"And, how's that?" Ripper said, his voice scathing. "I haven't seen you at all since you dragged me back here."

"You still taunt me though," I said, my voice a growl. "I hear your mocking voice jeering at me in my head if I so much as stumble over a stone."

"That sounds like that's your problem, not mine, Princess," Ripper said sarcastically. "Have you only come here to yell at me over your issues?"

I shook my head, my breaths panted shallowly in my throat, the edges of my vision darkening as my gaze unfocused.

"I didn't do this to me. _You_ did," I said, my voice a quiet rasp.

It seemed oddly quiet in my ears, like it wasn't coming from me, but echoing up from somewhere else.

"I see that rogue. The brown one with yellow eyes. I have dreams of the fighting, of killing him. Of killing you," I said in a hollow voice.

The words were spilling out of me like a torrent. I was unable to stop them.

"How do I stop it?" I asked, my gaze snapping fiercely back into focus as I looked at Ripper. "How can my clan-mates expect me to be their deputy when the sight of yellow eyes and the scent of blood makes me flinch? When the screaming in my head is louder than the sound of their voices speaking to me? How do I silence you? Seal the scars you've left in my mind?"

I bared my teeth at him. I realized that I was shaking, my legs trembled under me, my breaths rattled in my chest. But, I didn't know whether it was rage that shook me, or fear, or something else.

Ripper didn't answer me. He simply watched, blinking slowly, his eyes betraying none of his thoughts.

I padded closer to him, silently unsheathing my claws. They shimmered in the faint moonlight that streamed into the den, glowing eerily white. I could see them very clearly, so certainly Ripper could too.

"Answer me," I hissed in a whisper.

I saw Ripper's gaze drift from down to my claws then back up to my face.

"Do you think that will help?" he asked. "If you kill me, will you shut me up? Will the voice in your head be silent? Will that earn you the respect of your clan-mates?"

"I don't care to earn their respect," I said. "That's not a requirement. All I want is to protect them. No matter the cost."

Ripper watched me in silence.

"I did promise to kill you if you ever stepped foot in SkyClan territory again," I continued in a low voice, the words thrumming powerfully through me. "To protect them."

Ripper didn't look afraid, but there was an almost disappointed droop to his whiskers as he looked at me.

"Well, to be fair," Ripper meowed. "I didn't come back on my own free will."

I continued to stare at Ripper, waiting to see what he would do next. Ripper searched my eyes with his.

"I could fight you," Ripper said quietly. "But, at any yowl from you or me and the whole Clan would be upon me. And, being torn apart by many claws seems a lot worse than being slashed by just one."

"You'd deserve it though," I growled. "It'd be just like what you did to Sharpclaw. You ripped him apart."

"Well, Silk did decide to name me that for a reason," Ripper said softly, his eyes losing focus as he looked away from me. "Dragon told me I had a different name once, though… before. But, I can't remember it."

"Your name suits you," I said, curling my lip back in a silent snarl. "All you do is destroy things."

Ripper's gaze found mine again, his orange eyes sharp once more.

"I'm not going to fight you, Princess," Ripper meowed in quiet voice. "Just do me one favor… make it fast."

Ripper tilted his chin up, exposing his white-furred throat to me.

I stared at him, hearing my blood pounding in my ears. My heart thumped in my chest. I felt like its thrumming echoed all through the cave, turning the cramped, dark den into a living, roaring beast.

I remembered the crunch of the brown rogue's throat in my mouth, the feeling of a waning pulse under my tongue.

 _I can't._

I flinched and backed away, sheathing my claws. My breath pounded frantically in and out of my throat like I had just run for miles.

Ripper slowly cracked open his eyes, one at a time.

"Congratulations," I snarled, glaring into his orange gaze. "You get to live."

Lashing my tail, I turned my back to him, stalking a few footsteps away.

I heard his footfalls as he padded closer to me, closing the gap again.

"Coming to gloat over that I can't do it?" I said bitterly to him over my shoulder. "Going to tell me how weak I am?"

He didn't respond to my questions.

"What my mother said about you…" Ripper meowed quietly, sitting down. "About you being like her. That's not true."

The fur on my back rose.

"Oh put a mouse in it," I spat, whirling to stare intently at him. "I'd prefer gloating to sympathy."

Ripper gazed at me. We were both silent for a moment. He opened his mouth and I braced myself for sharp, cutting words. But, he just continued like he had never been interpreted.

"To Silk, nothing matters but surviving," Ripper said.

He shook his head, looking away from me.

"That's all she ever taught me," he meowed. "She wasn't gentle about it either. 'Love and affection are weaknesses,' she'd say. 'They make you foolish. Bury them. Turn your heart to ice. Trust no one. Rely only on yourself and your strength.'"

Ripper's eyes had gone distant. It was like that time when he had talked about his brother that died. He was no longer talking to me. Only at me. Despite myself, I felt a dark curiosity tug at me, and I pricked my ears to listen to him.

"I saw the way other mothers dotted on their kits," he continued. "I remember one day, I asked her if she loved me and Dark. She said that she did. Then I asked her why she wanted us to not love if she did. She told me that it was because she wanted to protect us from making the same mistakes she did, since love only leads to pain. And, that if she could take it back, and not have kits or if she could have the ability to choose to not to love us, then she would."

Ripper's gaze darkened.

"Then she licked the top of my head afterwards like everything was fine," he said in a low voice. "Like my own mother didn't just say that she wished she didn't love me. That I was a mistake."

Ripper blinked, and suddenly he was back, his gaze sharp and focused again.

"You aren't like that," he said brusquely, rising to his paws and turning to pad back into the darkness of the den.

"I am a killer now," I said, my voice low.

Ripper stopped walking, twitching an ear back to listen.

"Like her. Like you," I said bitterly. "Who knows if that put my paws down the path to being like her some day."

"Yeah, but you feel bad about it," Ripper said.

He turned his head to look at me.

"That already makes you different than us," he added.

"What did you feel the first time you killed someone?" I asked.

"A lot of things," he meowed vaguely. "But, regret wasn't one of them."

I fell quiet for a moment.

"You hate her, don't you?" I said, the realization dawning on me.

Ripper was silent for a few heartbeats.

"Yeah. I do," he said.

I looked away from him and stared out into camp. My ear twitched in surprise as I realized that anger I felt towards Ripper had waned. Like smoldering embers that had been doused by rain. Now only a hollow ache was left in my chest.

I turned my gaze up to the stars, my gaze settling on the half moon in the sky.

"It's the half moon tonight," I commented in a soft voice.

"So?" Ripper's grumbling voice echoed from behind me.

"Echosong will share tongues with StarClan tonight," I said, glancing back at him from over my shoulder.

Ripper looked at me from out of the corner of his eye, his gaze blank. My brow furrowed as I looked at his face.

 _Oh… He doesn't know who StarClan are._

"StarClan is the spirits of our warrior ancestors," I explained. "They are up in the sky, watching over us. In the stars in Silverpelt."

I gestured with my tail upwards.

"They protect us and give us signs and omens to warn us or guide us. Clan cats go to StarClan when they die," I meowed. "So we're all together again, and we can watch over our Clan and our descendants."

Ripper was still silent. He turned his gaze out of the entrance of the den and towards the sky. I turned away from him, tracing the stars with my gaze.

 _Are they mad at me for killing a cat and causing Sharpclaw's death? Do they approve of my deputy-ship? Do they think I can protect my clan-mates from the Kingdom?_

I sighed quietly, shaking my head to myself.

"…Where do you think I'll go when I die?" Ripper finally spoke.

I jolted in surprise, turning back to look at the tom.

He looked up at me with a strange vulnerability in his orange eyes.

"I don't know," I meowed. "I've never heard of non-Clan cats in StarClan. Perhaps there is a sky where your ancestors walk."

"If there is, I don't want to go there," Ripper muttered with a twitch of his ears, bending his head to stare down at the ground.

I looked at him, my ears pricked in surprised. He glanced back up at me and snorted when he saw the surprise on my face.

"You've met my mother. Would you want to spend an entirety with cats like her?" he meowed, giving a quiet growl.

"No," I said.

"Exactly," he said, turning to look up at the sky again.

"Maybe there's a sky just for you," I meowed.

"Or, maybe I have no sky at all," Ripper said, lowering his eyes.

He turned his back to me, padding back over to his nest, where he curl himself into a tight, scarred ball of tabby fur. I turned away from him and silently stared at the ground before lifting my questioning gaze up to the night sky. The stars were silent.

* * *

 _Author's Note: I finally got the next chapter out! What are your thoughts on Ripper? Any new opinions on the character in light of the new information we get about his past?_

 _Also, exciting news, the first part of "Kill or Be Killed: Silk's Reign" has been released! I felt like now was an appropriate time, given that more information about her was revealed in this chapter. Her short story will tell the story of Silk's past in 3 parts. The first of which is out now! The second part and the final part will be released later. I'll be sure to make an announcement in my Author's Note here in Lightning's Destiny when they are available._

 _Also sorry this took so long. I was having some writers block with Silk's Reign, but I really wanted to release the first part along with this chapter. Anyways, on to reviews!_

 _Reviews:_

 _Princessaurora2004: Yeah, Lightningfire definitely needs the support of her clan-mates now more than ever._

 _Featherfrost of Stormclan: Haha Silk's definitely not just sitting around doing nothing right now! Ripper may not be very fond of her, but she still cares about him in her own messed up way…_

 _Hazelstar of LightningClan: You're Welcome!_

 _Brian.H.H: Thank you! I feel bad about making you guys wait, but sometimes I have too much on my plate. You're also definitely right that killing Ripper now would be a big violation of the Warriors Code._

 _Krool: Thanks! I fixed it :)_

 _Firestaristhebest: Here it is! Sorry for the wait, hopefully the first part of Silk's Reign will somewhat make up for it._


	74. Chapter 73: The Storm Breaks

I stirred, blinking awake as dawn was on the verge of breaking. Wolfshade was pressed to my side, his deep grey fur a mess, standing up every which way in long, soft-spiky clumps. He was snoring softly, his mouth slightly open, and his whiskers and ears twitched as he dreamed. I gazed at his face, feeling my expression growing gentle. I leaned forward, rasping my tongue over his soft cheek fur. He stirred slightly but didn't wake at my touch.

 _"I love you,"_ I murmured, feeling like the words had been pulled up out of me almost against my will, just at the sight of his face.

Wolfshade continued to sleep.

Purring quietly to myself, I rose to my paws, giving each leg a long stretch, before turning towards the entrance of the den and padding outside.

The camp was almost completely empty when I emerged from the den. There was only Tangle, down by Rockpile, warming his old pelt in the weak rays of the morning sun, Sparrowpelt watching Ripper, and Fallowfern, up on guard duty on Skyrock. The morning air was cool as was the stone under my paws, but a warm breeze stirred my whiskers as I picked my way down the cliffside and into camp. I padded forward, giving Tangle a respectful nod.

"How are you, Tangle?" I meowed.

"My bones wer' a aching me last night," the old tom meowed, giving his greying pelt a shake. "I was hoping that the sun and the stone would warm them up a bit."

"Is Lichenfur still up in the den?" I inquired politely. "Do you know how she's doing? I heard her paw pads were pretty cracked and painful a few sunrises ago."

"How am I to know wha' that old she-cat is up to?" Tangle said grumpily. "Wha' am I her mentor?"

"Certainly not," I said, struggling to keep a purr of amusement out of my voice at the classic cranky reply from the ornery tom. "I'll speak to Echosong today, and she can give you some daisy leaves for your aches. I'll make sure she knows to check on Lichenfur too."

"Thank ye' young one," Tangle said, wrapping his thin tail around his frame. "I think I may go for a walk later, if my bones aren't too achey. And, I do think Lichenfur is feelin' a bit better. I'll bring some prey up to her though so she doesn't hav' to make the walk down the cliff. After she wakes up tha' is. I swear, tha' she-cat thinks she's a dormouse."

I gave a purr, and I nod of goodbye, walking past him to head to the riverside. I bent down, lapping up a few mouthfuls of water. My thirst quenched, I raised my head, settled down next to the river and got to grooming my pelt, rhythmically and meticulously flattening and untangling my fur with rapid strokes of my tongue.

Bird song swelled as the dawn grew brighter and brighter, the sky turning from smokey grey to pale blue, and slowly warriors began to trickle down out of the den. Some of their paw-steps were slow with sleep, and they murmured to each other in hushed voices. Other seemed to vibrate with energy, chirping like excited apprentices, ready to start the day. Finishing my grooming, I sat up straight, wrapping my tail around my paws as the warriors slowly drifted over, congregating around me. I gazed at them as they chatted with each other, sharing tongues, or giving themselves a quick groom or a quick scratch or stretch.

 _Strange. How many times have I lived this scene, but instead of me sitting here, tail wrapped around my paws, it was Sharpclaw?_

I scanned the cats gathered around me. Wolfshade was in the back of the group, blinking sleep out of his brilliant smokey-green eyes, his long fur still ruffled. Our gazes met for a moment and he gave me a long, exaggerated yawn, flashing his bright white fangs at me and startling pink tongue, before nodding his head as he pretended to fall asleep where he sat. I swallowed back purrs of amusement, and allowed my gaze to continue to drift over the rest of the cats. My own apprentice, Owlpaw, was not here, I realized.

 _She's probably still snoring up in the den._

But, Wrenpaw, and Rosepaw were already down, bright eyed and ready. As new apprentices, they were probably still wary at being scolded by their mentors and other warriors. While Owlpaw, it seemed, was used to my nagging by now. My ears pricked as I heard meows of greetings. Over the cliffside, the daylight warriors arrived, Ebonyclaw in the lead, closely followed by Sootypaw, then Haveymoon, with Mcgyver bringing up the rear. They bounded down the steep cliff trails and into camp, joining the rest of the group of warriors, purring hellos. As they settled into the group, I cleared my throat, opening my mouth.

"The dawn patrol can leave immediately," I began, and the talking quieted down as every cat turned to look to me.

I glanced at my brother.

"Nightstorm can lead it. Take Wrenpaw, Shrewtooth, Mcgyver, Tatteredtail and Clovertail," I said.

Nightstorm gave a nod, standing and gesturing with his tail for cats to gather around. The cats I named rose to their paws, detached themselves from the rest of the group and followed him out of camp.

"Two hunting patrols can go out this morning," I continued. "Haveymoon can lead one, take Tinycloud, Sootypaw, Rabbitleap, and Seedheart."

"Tinycloud," I said, turning to the she-cat. "Sootypaw has completed half of his apprentice training. Assess his hunting abilities today and report back to me."

Tinycloud nodded, while I saw Sootypaw suddenly sit up straight, swallowing nervously.

"The second patrol can be lead by Minttail," I continued, not missing a beat as I saw the grey tabby wrinkle her nose up with slight distaste as I called her name. "Take Creamclaw, Iceshiver, Whisperheart, Ravenfur and Ripplepaw."

I kept my expression neutral as Minttail rose to her paws with her wrinkled face. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of ruffled fur. If she wouldn't put her feud with me (that felt as old as dirt at this point) to rest, then I would be the mature one here.

"Sunhigh patrol will be led by Lionclaw, with Sagewhisker, Waspwhisker, and Ebonyclaw. The evening patrol will be led by Petalnose, take Rosepaw too," I meowed. "Petalnose, you can choose your patrol members from the remaining cats that haven't patrolled."

I gave a tail flick of dismissal.

"Also, I expect the rest of you that I didn't name to be hunting and not just lazying around camp," I added with a purr of amusement in my voice.

There were some purrs in response as my clan-mates rose to their paws, splitting off in small groups.

"Egg," I called, waving him over with my tail before the cream-colored tom could walk away.

He padded over to me.

"I was going to do some battle-training with Owlpaw this morning, then afterwards send her to clean the elder's den for sleeping through the patrol assignment," I said with a purr. "Do you and Adderpaw want to join us?"

"Sure! Adderpaw'll love a chance to beat his sister up," Egg said teasingly.

"Hey, Adderpaw better watch out, Owlpaw's getting fast," I said a playful edge to my voice as I came to the defense of my apprentice.

"I guess we'll see," Egg said, tail flicking in anticipation.

Swashing down a competitive, but immature, urge to challenge Egg to a spar between him and me, right here and now, I turned aside, padding past him and over to the cliff. Wolfshade walked over to my side as I headed past.

"No patrol assignment for me?" he asked, flattening his ears in a mock-pout.

"Well I can't have you leading every patrol," I purred. "Cats would start to cry 'favoritism.'"

"But, I am your favorite," Wolfshade said, his gaze twinkling mischievously as he shot me a sharp look out of the corner of his eyes.

I purred loudly, my chest filling with a gentle warmth. I ducked my head close to his.

"Of course you are, but we can't have them knowing that!" I said in a hushed voice, flicking my tail to indicate our clan-mates around us.

Wolfshade purred in response, bending his head to press his muzzle to my forehead.

"Have a good training session with Owlpaw. See you later, Lightning," he purred, pulling his head back to walk away.

"Bye!" I meowed, giving a tail wave of goodbye.

I turned back towards the cliff, walking over to the trail that led up it. I scaled it to the apprentices' den, poking my head inside. Owlpaw was the only apprentice left in it—a fluffy white and ginger ball tucked in her nest.

"Hey sleepyhead!" I meowed.

"Hmuh" Owlpaw said, her ears not even giving a flick to indicate that she heard me, and she immediately went back to quiet snoring.

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help giving a quiet purr of amusement as I padded into the den, approaching Owlpaw to pad at her side with my paw.

"Huh what?" she said, raising her head, blinking her big yellow eyes sleepily.

"We're battle training with Adderpaw and Egg!" I said. "Get your sleepy tail out of your nest before I send Adderpaw up here to make you!"

"He could never!" Owlpaw huffed, her eyes shimmering with indignation, and suddenly she was upright.

"That's my apprentice," I purred fondly, flicking her ears with my tail-tip. "Come on, let's get going."

* * *

Both Adderpaw and Owlpaw were shaping up to be fine fighters. Adderpaw was huge. Watching him move as he sparred with his sister—it was almost startling sometimes how much he looked like their father. He had the same board form and dark ginger pelt as Sharpclaw, although his fur was dappled in round splotches while Sharpclaw had more traditional stripes. Owlpaw was smaller than him; she had her mother's form. But, although she had her mother's size, she made up for with her father's tenacity. She was also quick on her paws, with fast reaction times, making the two pretty evenly matched.

We trained until sun-high, at which point, both apprentices appeared dead on their paws with tiredness. So, we went back to camp, and I sent the apprentices to eat, then for Owlpaw, to change the elder's bedding.

 _The elders…_ I remembered. _I promised Tangle I would speak to Echosong about giving him something for his aches._

I turned, walking over to Echosong's den. I felt a pinprick of nervousness as I approached. I hadn't spoken to the medicine cat recently. Not that I was avoiding her, just because I was busy with my new deputy duties… but I still felt that things were off between her and I. We had become close friends during the time I spent with her in the medicine cat's den, but I was afraid that by rejecting her offer to become Skyclan's medicine cat, I may have irreversibly damaged our relationship. I swallowed and licked my lips nervously as I entered the cave.

"Echosong?" I called.

I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the den, and I spotted her in the back, sorting herbs. She turned to me when I called, a friendly expression on her face.

"Lightningfire? What can I do for you?" she meowed, coming over to me as I padded deeper into the den and sat down.

"I spoke with Tangle this morning, and he told me his joints were aching," I meowed. "I told him that I'd ask you to send some herbs over to him."

To my surprise, Echosong rolled her eyes at my request.

"Well if he would take it easier like I keep telling him instead of taking those long walks around the forest at night, maybe he wouldn't be so achy," Echosong huffed, but her tone was good-natured. "Even though he's been a part of SkyClan for seasons, that cat's still got a lot of wild, rogue blood left in him."

"You've got that right," I purred in agreement. "He almost chewed my whiskers off this morning just for asking how Lichenfur was doing."

"He likes Lichenfur; no matter how he complains," Echosong purred.

I felt myself relaxing, relief flowing through me.

 _She seems normal. I'm glad she's not mad at me._

"Echosong?" a voice called from behind me.

I turned to see Briarspot entering the den.

"Oh, hi Lightningfire!" she meowed. "Sorry, if you and Echosong are busy, I can come back later."

"No, it's alright," I said, getting to my paws. "We were just talking."

My gaze flickered over Briarspot curiously; my old friend seemed healthy. Why was she going to see Echosong?

"Is something wrong? Are you sick or hurt?" I asked, concern furrowing my brow.

"No, no. Nothing like that," Briarspot said, a barely contained purr in her voice. "Nettlesplash and I are expecting kits!"

My eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh! Briarspot, that's wonderful!" I meowed.

"I'm so excited!" she said, her eyes shining. "I just realized a few sunrises ago. Nettlesplash is so excited too! I know he'll make a great father."

"He adores you," I agreed, my whiskers slightly twitching in amusement. "And, you were mooning after him even way back when we were apprentices. I remember there was more than one night that you kept me awake yammering about how handsome his brown fur is."

"Hey!" Briarspot meowed playfully, twitching her brown-spotted tail. "I may have done that, but if I recall correctly, _you_ spent all of your time mooning over Wolfshade, shooting longing glances and heaving heavy sighs every time he walked past!"

My shoulders shook as loud purrs vibrated through me.

"I think I was a little more discreet than that! You make it sound like I was a moonstruck rabbit," I said.

"What do you mean ' _was_?'" Briarspot teased. "When it comes to Wolfshade, you're _still_ a moonstruck rabbit."

"While I'd love to argue about who is the more moonstruck one here all day, I should really get going," I meowed, giving Echosong and Briarspot a tail wave of goodbye.

"I'll get those herbs to Tangle," Echosong meowed.

"Thanks," I said, nodding to her.

"See you later, Briarspot," I added.

They meowed their goodbyes as I turned and padded out of the den.

I spent the rest of the day hunting with Wolfshade, and soon enough, the sun was dipping below the horizon. As the sky grew black, I waited down in camp for the evening patrol to return, getting up and pacing every so often like an anxious queen who's only kit had gone off on their first patrol as an apprentice. I sighed in relief as I spotted Petalnose with Rosepaw and the rest of patrol in tow at the far side of the gorge. As they reached camp, I meowed my "goodnights" before heading up to Skyrock. Slowly, I climbed the trail to the stone outcrop.

I had put myself on guard duty for the night, despite Wolfshade's protests and attempts to persuade me to come to the nest with him. I offered to assign him to guard duty instead, and he had left with an overly exaggerated huff and twitch of the tail.

I didn't mind guard duty though. Although the day like any other had left me tired, I looked forward to the serenity and time of reflection being on Skyrock offered.

I gathered my haunches under me and sprung from the trail onto Skyrock, the night stretching out before me.

* * *

I stood on Skyrock, the stone cool under my paws. The silent night air wrapped around me like the dark, downy wings of an owl, still and undisturbed—not even a breeze to ruffle my fur. I breathed in deeply, the fresh air of the forest soaking into me. There was only me and my thoughts out here. …And Nettlesplash, I suppose, on guard duty in front of Ripper's den below.

I turned to look to the side, my gaze sweeping over the trees in the distance like a swooping eagle before I turned my eyes upward towards Silverpelt. The stars twinkled above, claw-pricks of an almost fiercely bright white in the sea of black.

Suddenly, one of the white stars began to glow even brighter. The fur down my back prickled, and I squinted as the star became a blaze that streaked across the sky, burning through the black, and seemingly crashing into the forested region of our territory.

The light was gone as quickly as it appeared, and I stood, frozen on Skyrock.

 _Was that… lightning?_

But, that didn't seem right. There was not a cloud in the sky tonight, and besides, lightning traced a jagged path, while this… falling star… blazed a clear, straight line down the sky.

 _Like a StarClan warrior coming down to Earth._

I swallowed hard, an unsettled feeling shivering through my pelt.

 _It must be an omen._

My gaze locked on the distant trees. They looked normal, seemingly undisturbed by the falling star.

 _What's over there? What will I find there?_

My ears flattened nervously, and I felt an uncomfortable fluttering in my stomach. Somehow, I had already decided that, whatever it was, I had to go investigate.

I padded to the edge of Skyrock, hesitating a moment before leaping over the gap at the edge of Skyrock, onto the trail, and following it down the cliff to the camp floor.

"Nettlesplash," I meowed as I walked past him.

He straightened to attention as I said his name.

"Stay sharp. I'm leaving my post on Skyrock for a moment; I saw something out in the forest that I want to go investigate," I said.

"You got it, Lightningfire," he said.

He hesitated for a moment, like he wasn't sure if he wanted to say something more.

"Are you sure you want to go alone?" he asked. "What if it was the Kingdom…"

"It wasn't them. I'll be fine," I said, brushing off his concern with a flick of my ear, although I felt my pelt prickling slightly at his low tone.

 _But, I have to go alone. This omen was for me._

Nettlesplash looked at me with a brow furrowed in confusion. I could see the questions swimming in his gaze, but he didn't ask what it was that I saw in the forest.

"I want you to stay here on high alert though," I said. "Just in case any Kingdom cats are in fact sniffing around tonight."

Nettlesplash nodded and stood up straight. As I turned to leave, my gaze flickered behind him, where I saw two reflective eyes peering back at me out from Ripper's den. Ripper didn't say anything as I turned and bounded away.

I took off at a lope, the sandy floor of the camp turning to dirt under my paws as I left the gorge and entered the forest. The dark leaves rustled above me as I sped across the forest floor, flashing between shadows, heading farther and farther from camp. As I ran in the direction that I thought the star fell, I felt my paws falter as uncertainty grew in me.

 _How am I supposed to know where to go? I saw the falling star come down over here in the trees… but I don't know where exactly._

I set my jaw and pushed stubbornly onward.

 _Well if this is an omen from StarClan, I assume I'll know it when I see it._

I blinked as I spotted a silver light pouring out from between the trees in front of me, almost like my thoughts had summoned it. I slowed to a walk, cautiously approaching the light, screwing up my eyes as it grew brighter and brighter. I brushed through some undergrowth and found myself in a clearing, the light a glowing orb in the center of it, shining like a small, white sun. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears.

"Hello…?" I meowed quietly, blinking at the light.

"Lightningfire."

The ball of light dimmed and morphed, turning into a cat shape. The cat came forward, still shining like star-light, but now I could make out grey and white patches, and shimmering blue eyes.

"Cloudstar," I meowed.

My voice shook slightly. I wasn't sure if it was from relief at seeing his familiar face, or anxiety about what he wanted.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked.

He blinked his old eyes at me, sighing softly.

"You know why," he said.

I swallowed, the fur prickling down my back. Despite how I tried to act like everything was normal; go about my days trying to be deputy, train my apprentice, spend time with Wolfshade, I knew this was coming. It's been coming since the day Echosong received the vision from StarClan the day I was born.

"What the prophecy's warning us about. The battles I've seen in my dreams," I said, my voice low. "It's soon… it's the Kingdom, isn't it?"

"Yes…" Cloudstar said, hesitating for a moment.

"I am afraid," Cloudstar said, continuing.

I froze at the admittance of weakness from the StarClan warrior, suddenly feeling slightly queasy.

"What do you mean?" I asked slowly.

Cloudstar gazed at me.

"SkyClan has faced more struggles than any other Clan," he meowed. "It has been destroyed once, but then revived. But, if SkyClan does not stand together here, I fear this may be it's final death. Be strong Lightningfire. You are the light of our Clan. You are the hope against this darkness."

I gazed at Cloudstar, mixed feelings of dread, uncertainty and flat-out stubbornness battling in my chest.

I felt like half the time that I knew about the prophecy, I had tried to run from it. A part of me was still afraid; still unsure. I didn't know what this meant for me or for my Clan in the end. But, I wasn't running anymore.

"I won't let SkyClan down," I said, clenching my jaw.

Cloudstar dipped his head, and his glowing form began to fade.

"Wait," I said taking a step forward. "Before you go, just tell me, when will the Kingdom arrive?"

"Lightningfire…" Cloudstar said, a great sadness filling his eyes. "They're already here."

I was left blinking as Cloudstar vanished, and the world around me suddenly went dark again. My body thrummed with an anxious energy, and I turned to leave, ready to run all the way back to camp.

 _I have to wake Leafstar. I have to warn my clan-mates._

I took off, paws flying. I flew through the forest, kicking up dead leaves with the speed of my paws.

I was around halfway back to camp when the sickly-salty scent of blood drifted into my nose, making my blood run cold. I turned my head to track the scent, my gaze scouring the area around me. Along with the blood was unusual cat scent. It had the acidic tang of the Kingdom. I swallowed nervously. Following the scent, I changed my path, but I moved with more caution, sacrificing speed in exchange for stealth. Between two pines, I saw an unusual shape on the ground, but I could not make out what it was because of the shadows that wreathed it. My stomach flipping with nerves, I crept over to it; the scent of blood growing stronger in my nose. I almost didn't want to look.

The shape was a cat, tabby fur clumped and matted with blood, but I could still faintly smell the scent of SkyClan underneath the reeking blood and scent of Kingdom cats. Reaching a paw out, I flipped the body over, and felt my heart sink into my stomach.

It was Tangle.

Out for one of his late night walks.

The elder hadn't stood a chance against the rogues.

 _Oh StarClan… how will I tell Lichenfur?_

A cry of rage and grief rose in my throat, but I swallowed hard against it, stifling it before it could come to life. I pushed my emotions away. I would deal with them later. Tangle's blood was still warm. The Kingdom was still close. I had to reach camp before they did.

I turned and ran.

* * *

"Everyone wake up!" I yowled, sticking my head into the warriors den.

I saw heads raising, eyes blinking in confusion in the shadows.

"The Kingdom is here!" I shouted. "I want Sparrowpelt, Wolfshade, Cherrytail, Egg, Ravenfur, Rabbitleap, Minttail, Sagewhisker, Waspwhisker, Lionclaw, Nightstorm, Creamclaw, Petalnose down in camp now! The rest of you, stay in camp, wake the apprentices, queens and elders. Put a cat on Skyrock for look-out. Defend the nursery and Lichenfur. Tangle is dead."

There was noise and confusion everywhere. Cats were gasping and scrambling to their paws. Some tried to talk to me, but I ignored them, dashing back out of the den to climb up to the leader's den.

"Leafstar!" I meowed.

Brackenstorm's head and Leafstar's head raised in unison from their nest.

"The Kingdom is here in the forest. They have killed Tangle. I think they are closing in on the camp," I said. "I've woken the warriors. We have no moment to waste. I think we should meet them in the forest before they reach the gorge."

Leafstar's eyes were wide with worry and I saw the fur bristling down her back.

"Come on," was all she said.

Leafstar rose to her paws and ran out of the den with me and Brackenstorm at her heels.

She ran down the trail into camp, heading towards the nervous, tightly grouped patrol of warriors I had named. They turned to us as we ran over, their gazes searching our expressions for some sign of aid.

"Prepare yourselves. We may be going into battle," Leafstar meowed in a low voice, her gaze dark. "Lightningfire, lead the way."

My gaze met with Wolfshade's only for an instant, and I saw the concern in his eyes as I turned and ran back the way I came. But, this time I had half the power of SkyClan at my tail running through the gorge and into the forest. We weren't running for long before the scent of the Kingdom became strong. They weren't trying to hide their presence from us.

We came to a clearing not far from were I found Tangle's body. The Kingdom scent here was very strong; they were close. Leafstar came to my shoulder, taking the lead. She silently motioned with her tail, signaling to split us up into two groups to fan out. But, before any cat could move a paw-step, a ghostly white figure appeared across the clearing, a glaring obvious color in contrast with the dark forest, causing all of SkyClan to freeze.

Silk stalked forward with her long, lanky stride. I shuddered. For a moment, she didn't even look cat-like, but rather like some sort of strange, spideresque monster.

Behind her, more cats appeared, about the same number as in our patrol, fanning out behind her in a menacing line. My clan-mates bunched together around me and Leafstar, forming a formidable group of bristling fur and unsheathed claws.

For a moment, everything was quiet, and the only sound I could hear was the pounding of my heart in my ears.

"You have killed a SkyClan elder, and you are trespassing on SkyClan territory," Leafstar said, her voice loud with rage as it rang out powerfully through the trees. "Leave now or my Clan will attack."

"I only want what is mine," Silk said, her voice quiet but filled with a tense energy. "Your cats trespassed on my territory, killed one of my lieutenants, kidnapped another, and your Clan is harboring defectors from my Kingdom. I am owed retribution."

 _"Retribution?,"_ Leafstar spat incredulously, venom in her voice. "Your cats also killed my deputy, Sharpclaw and held my warriors prisoner, torturing them. Leave now and consider yourself lucky that we chose not to launch an attack _on you_ in revenge."

"Your cats were on my territory," Silk hissed. "It's my right to defend it."

She took a menacing step forward, lashing her tail.

"You will bring me my defectors and traitors, Whisper, Shiver and Tattered," Silk said, her voice cold as ice. "Bring me my son, Ripper. And, bring me the murderer of my lieutenant, Lightningfire. Obey my commands and my cats will depart and the rest of you shall live in peace. Disobey, and all will die."

"We will not be cowed by your threats!" Leafstar snarled, baring her teeth. "We also have a right to fight to defend was is ours, and Whisperheart, Iceshiver, Tatteredtail, and Lightningfire are our clan-mates!"

Leafstar lashed her tail, her eyes flashing in the low light as she thought.

"I will make you a bargain. I will give you Ripper," Leafstar said. "Then you leave our forest and go back to your own territory forever. And, SkyClan will never set one paw in your two-leg place again."

Silk was silent for moment.

"No," her meow rang out clearly.

The fur on my back rose.

 _She won't trade for her own son?! She can have him back, all she has to do is leave!_

Silk's orange gaze drifted to me.

"Lightningfire is the one that killed my lieutenant. She is the one that owes me. Give me her, and I'll leave," Silk said.

I felt a pit open in my stomach, and my eyes widened as it felt like the earth swayed under my paws. Wolfshade took a step closer to me, a low growl in his throat.

 _But, she has to know Leafstar would never agree to that. Why even suggest it?_

"Never," Leafstar said without hesitation, like she had read my thoughts, her voice a growl.

"Then it seems we are at an impasse," Silk said, her voice icy. "You have three sunrises to think about it. If I don't receive what I want by then, this forest will be watered with the blood of your Clan."

Silk's gaze flickered to me. The fur down my spine prickled as I felt like her harsh orange eyes were burning right through me.

"Is one life worth all of yours?" she asked.

Silk turned and walked away, and her rogues followed, melting into the trees around her.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry that it seems like it takes me longer and longer every time to put out a chapter! Without dumping too many personal details on you, I'm just going through a busy/stressful time in my life. So, thank you for your patience! Anyways, oh geez this was a stressful chapter to write: the Kingdom has finally reached the forest! Things are going to go down. I hope you guys are ready and excited/nervous as I am!_

 _Reviews:_

 _Hazelstar of LightningClan: Thanks haha, I did it again!_

 _Featherfrost of Stormclan: Lol yep, I feel exactly the same way._

 _Brian.H.H: Yeah, Lightning has some bigger things to worry about than that now though lol. For the kin mentoring kin thing, yeah not super common, but SkyClan has done it several times in the books (probably because when the clan was newly formed, is was so small, it couldn't be helped lol.)_

 _Princessaurora2004: Interesting predictions! We'll have to see. But, yeah a lot of Ripper's personality is because of Silk. He would have probably been a very different cat if she had not been his mother._

 _YumiKnowsBest: Thanks so much! It's awesome to have you reading, I hope you continue liking the story. You've got some interesting predictions about Ripper, but I don't want to give anything away!_

 _Krool: Haha thanks!_

 _Icegaze: Thank you! I'm glad you like it. I'm going to finish this story all here, so no second book. Sorry that I'm slow with updating though! And, I'm glad Wolfshade is your favorite character; I really like Wolfshade too! I feel a big connection with his character, along with Lightningfire's._

 _MintyFreshCatz: Thanks for the awesome compliments! I hope you continue to like the story! It's great to have you reading!_


	75. Chapter 74: The Plan

We were prey in our own territory.

Patrols went out, only to be chased back to camp. Hunting patrols were ambushed, their prey stolen, and they returned with clawed pelts and bleeding wounds. Tensions were running high. Fear pounded through my clan-mates' veins; terror and hunger turning even the calmest warriors into irritable mouse-brains. I had to break up a fight between Nightstorm and Lionclaw just this morning, and the two of them were the best of friends. When I asked what in StarClan's name had gotten into them, I only got mutinous glares and stubbornly clamped jaws in response.

I was trying to keep moral up, but I could see the hollow despair in my clan-mates eyes.

I was sitting down in camp by the Rockpile. But, unlike the many pleasant days that I've spent there, sharing tongues or napping in the sun, today I sat stiffly. Every muscle was tense, every piece of fur on my pelt vibrating with tension as I kept my senses turned outward, looking for any sign of movement outside of camp.

"Any sign of them?" Sparrowpelt meowed, walking over to me with a brow furrowed with concern.

I shook my head, but I knew he wasn't asking about the Kingdom.

The day-light warriors had not been seen since the arrival of the Kingdom two days before. Sparrowpelt was good friends with Ebonyclaw, and he was clearly worried about her.

He sighed, shook his head to himself and wandered back off. I watched him go, looking at the warriors milling around camp. There was another hunting patrol that I sent out this morning, and had been sent back with scratched pelts and no food. Echosong was tending to them now. The rest of the warriors had nothing to do but guard the camp, since patrolling was useless.

"The Kingdom must be keeping the daylight warriors from getting to camp, like how they are keeping us in camp," I muttered to myself.

"Or, they caught one look at the rogues and turned tail, running back to their two-leg dens," Nightstorm hissed under his breath from a few tail-lengths away.

"Don't say that," I snapped, turning to look at him and feeling the fur down my back prickle slightly. "They're our clan-mates and loyal to SkyClan."

But, I'd be lying if I said that thought hadn't crossed my mind.

"Okay, so maybe _they_ are," Nightstorm muttered. "But, still it was mixing-up with outsiders that got us into this mess. If it wasn't for Whisperheart, Iceshiver and—"

"This isn't their fault!" I snapped impatiently, cutting him off. "They are loyal to SkyClan too. SkyClan embraces outsiders."

"Why?" Nightstorm snapped back, just as hotly. "It only gets us into trouble!"

 _"Because there wouldn't be a SkyClan if it wasn't for outsiders!"_ I hissed, my voice vibrating with anger.

I wouldn't normally talk to my brother in such a tone, but it looked like I was just affected by the dark mood as my clan-mates were.

"Before Firestar showed up, our mother was an 'outsider!' Our father too! Everyone was in the Clan was!" I continued.

"That was then," Nightstorm said, tail lashing. "This is now! We have a SkyClan established, and we can do just fine on our own. Anyone outside of our Clan is just trouble! Why can't anyone seem to see that?"

"Well what's done is done," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Whisperheart, Iceshiver and Tatteredtail have joined SkyClan and they are here to stay. What would you do, give them back?"

Nightstorm was silent, glaring at me with green eyes that glinted angrily. My jaw fell open in shock at his silence.

"You can't be serious," I growled.

"But, I am," he said, eyes narrowing. "There's a chance that Silk would change her mind if we gave her Ripper and the three of them. If I was Leafstar—"

"I can't believe you!" I said, cutting him off, and I felt a bit sick as I felt my insides twist up into a tight angry ball. "Do you not care at all? Do you even have a heart?"

 _"Of course I care!"_ Nightstorm exploded, leaping to his paws in a flash of black fur and glinting fangs as he bared his teeth at me. _"That's what I'm trying to say!_ I _care_ about our clan-mates! About our _real_ clan-mates! By allowing the rogues to stay with us, you're the one that's put them in danger!"

Cold shock rushed through me as I gazed at Nightstorm. Some part of me noticed that our arguing had drawn curious glances from our clan-mates, but I barely paid them any attention.

I slowly rose to my paws.

"I don't know what's wrong with you," I growled as I turned away from him. "Those cats are my friends."

As I walked away from him, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a familiar grey pelt heading towards me. I turned towards Wolfshade as he approached.

"Hey is everything alright?" he meowed, concern in his eyes. "I saw you arguing over there with Nightstorm."

I opened my mouth, about to tell him all about how my brother was a heartless mouse-brain, but before I could, I was interrupted by another voice.

"Lightningfire, I need you to come up to my den immediately. I have something that I need to discuss with you," Leafstar said, appearing at my shoulder.

I gazed at my mother. She looked a lot older than I've ever remembered seeing her; her brown tabby pelt was messy, her blue eyes rimmed with exhaustion and her whiskers drooped slightly. But, her gaze was still powerful and sharp, brimming with determination.

 _No wonder I'm so stubborn. She's where I get it from._

I nodded to her.

"Sorry Wolfshade," I said.

"No problem," he meowed to me as I turned and followed Leafstar up the cliff to her den.

As I entered the den, blinking in the low light, I spotted Brackenstorm already waiting for us. I swallowed, glancing at him and at Leafstar as she padded in and took a seat next to my father.

 _I wonder if it's weird for them. Seeing their daughter here instead of Sharpclaw._

I walked further into the den, taking a seat in front of them.

"We need a plan," Leafstar began immediately. "The Kingdom is keeping us from hunting, not that that really matters since we only have one more day before they are planning on attacking us. But, I'm not just going to sit here and let them slowly weaken us any longer, picking away at us like a buzzard picking at crow-food."

"So Silk's deal…" I meowed slowly.

"She's insane to think that we would ever give you up," Brackenstorm growled.

"She won't listen to reason," Leafstar agreed. "Which only leaves one option. We fight."

I opened my jaws, then shut them again. I wasn't sure what I had even wanted to say.

 _Was it_ " _there's too many of them and they're too ruthless to fight?"_

 _Or was it "what if Silk's telling the truth and if I go to her, I really can save you all?"_

I shook my head slightly.

 _No._

We couldn't trust a word Silk said, that much was clear to me. Giving myself up to her would be foolish. I would die, and Silk would just choose to attack SkyClan anyways. So, my mother was right. Our only option was to fight.

I swallowed nervously.

But, could we win?

There were more rogues than SkyClan warriors. I knew that from seeing them all back in the Park. Who knows how many Silk brought with her, and how many she left back in the two-leg place, but it seemed safe to assume that the numbers were not in our favor. The Lieutenants were also trained fighters, not just ordinary scrappy rogues, and unlike our warriors, they would not hesitate to deliver a killing blow.

I looked grimly at my parents.

"It'll be hard," I meowed, giving voice to my doubts. "They're well trained and ruthless."

Leafstar nodded in agreement, a dark expression on her face.

"But, SkyClan is strong. I believe in our clan-mates. And, in our ancestors to watch over us and give us strength," Leafstar said, conviction in her voice.

I stifled an snort of derision.

 _Yeah, our ancestors sure did a lot to save SkyClan from being driven out of the forest. And, to stop the rats from destroying us._ I thought sarcastically.

But, I didn't say anything, just nodding along with my mother, knowing that casting doubt on Leafstar's faith would not be productive for anyone. My brow furrowed as my thoughts turned from StarClan to the prophecy.

 _Cloudstar did tell me that I was SkyClan's only hope. What does that mean? How does he expect me to stop the Kingdom?_

"If we expect to beat them, we need a plan," I meowed. "We just can't sit and wait for them to attack."

Brackenstorm nodded.

"Exactly. I was thinking the same thing," he meowed. "From our patrols, we can tell that they've set up a sort of makeshift camp in the Southern woods, by the river. I say we attack them tomorrow. Silk thinks that we're going to wait the full three days. They won't expect a preemptive attack, and we'll catch them unprepared."

I blinked.

"It's better than waiting," I said slowly.

 _But, still not "good."_

I swallowed, the tip of my tail twitching anxiously.

 _We need a better plan. Think, Lightningfire. How can we out-do them? How do I keep my friends from dying?_

"Everything alright?" Leafstar meowed.

I realized that I had sunk my claws into the moss covered floor.

"I'm worried," I admitted. "The Kingdom is so dangerous. I don't want any of our clan-mates…"

My voice trailed off as words failed me. I licked my lips nervously.

Leafstar leaned over a swiped her tongue over my head in a very motherly gesture.

"I know battles are hard," she murmured, like she was comforting a young apprentice on their first day of battle-training.

I leaned away from her, meeting her gaze with burning eyes.

"This isn't anything like a little border skirmish," I said through a clenched jaw. "Like chasing a rogue, or a fox, or even a badger out of our territory. This is all out war. Cats will _die_."

I shook my head, feeling the despair in my chest expand like a black pit, swallowing me up.

"Frecklewish's death, and Bouncefire's… those were awful, but it happened _so fast._ No one was expecting it. But, this… We know. We gather into a patrol, and we leave camp, _knowing_ that some of us won't make it," I said.

My voice dropped to a whisper.

"How can we accept that?" I breathed. "It's awful."

Leafstar sighed.

"Yes," she said, shocking me at the bluntness of her response. "It hasn't gotten any easier either. Before every battle, it's always this hard, no matter how many times you do it, no matter how many seasons have past. It was just as hard having to face the rats as it is now having to face the Kingdom."

I blinked at the mention of the rat battle. Of course, I knew it happened, but it had taken on a sort of mythical quality to me and the other younger cats. It was weird to hear Leafstar to casually mention it in passing.

"But, we are warriors," Leafstar continued. "And, what warriors would we be if we shied away from battle? If we feared death?"

"I'm not saying I won't fight," I said, my voice taking an almost defensive note.

"Don't worry, I know," Leafstar assured, her eyes becoming more gentle as she gazed at me.

I shuffled my paws, swallowing against a sudden lump that appeared my throat.

"It's just the thought of losing any of you…" I said, my voice trailing off in a mumble.

"Oh, Lightning," Brackenstorm murmured in a deep, fond voice.

"Sorry," I said, choking out a bitter purr and looking down at my paws. "I'm doing a pretty bad job at this deputy thing right now aren't I? I'm supposed to be giving you advice. You two shouldn't have to be comforting me like a kit."

Leafstar rose to her paws and padded over to me.

"No, Lightningfire, you are a good deputy," Leafstar said, touching her muzzle to my forehead, drawing my gaze back up to her. "You are only so worried because you are so devoted to your clan-mates."

I sighed.

"Thanks Mom," I murmured, although I didn't feel particularly better.

I rose to my paws.

"I think we should attack at dawn," I said, raising my head in a more confident manner and my voice taking on a brisk tone that I've grown to think of as my 'deputy-voice.' "The morning dew will dull their noses and the sound of bird song will mask the sound of our approach."

Leafstar nodded.

"Good idea," she said.

"How big is the battle patrol?" I asked, my mind whirling.

"We don't want to leave the queens and elders… elder," I corrected in a slightly shaky voice. "…Unprotected. But, also we need as many warriors as possible and we should consider the fact that—"

"They will not be expecting our attack, so we have no reason to believe that they will be attacking the camp while the warriors are away," Brackenstorm said, finishing my thought for me.

I nodded at him.

"I was thinking of sending Lichenfur, Briarspot, Plumwillow and her kits, all of the apprentices, and Echosong to shelter in the Whispering Cave," Leafstar said. "Along with a warrior or two. I'm sure Fallowfern or Clovertail would happily volunteer to guard the queens, Echosong and Lichenfur."

I mused for a moment, ears flicking thoughtfully.

"Yes," I agreed after a pause. "Owlpaw and her siblings have only been training for a little over two moons. They aren't prepared to go to battle with the Kingdom; it's better for them to stay behind and guard the queens and Lichenfur."

 _Although I doubt Owlpaw will be happy about it._

"And, Whispering Cave?" I continued, thinking. "It's well hidden and difficult to get to. Even if the rogues somehow manage to get there, it's easily defended because the trail to the mouth of the cave is so narrow and slippery. Just one warrior or two apprentices could hold it."

Leafstar nodded, clearly having already thought this through.

"Although, if the Kingdom manages to break through the hold," I said with a sharp look at her. "The queens and Lichenfur will have no where to go. They'll be trapped inside the cave."

"We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen then," Leafstar meowed in a firm voice.

I nodded.

"Yes," I agreed in a low voice.

I dipped my head to her.

"Is there anything else you would like to discuss? Otherwise, I will go notify the warriors," I meowed in a bit of a detached voice, my mind feeling very far away as my thoughts still whirled.

"I think that's everything," Leafstar said with a dismissive tail flick. "Tell everyone to rest and keep their strength up as much as possible."

I nodded. I gave my father a nod too before turning and padding out of the den. Wolfshade was waiting for me at the bottom of the cliff. His eyes tracked me as I padded down the trail, and he rose to his paws as I walked over to him.

"Are you okay?" he meowed, having noticed the distant look in my eyes.

I nodded, although I still didn't feel entirely 'there.'

"Help me inform the warriors. We attack at dawn," I said.

Wolfshade blinked and nodded. We split off, murmuring to every warrior we came across, telling them to pass on the word.

As I spoke to my clan-mates, I looked into their eyes and hoped that this wouldn't be our last conversation.

* * *

 _Think, Lightningfire._

It had almost become my mantra for the day. After everyone had been notified of the upcoming battle, my clan-mates had a lot of questions about it. I tried to answer them best I could, but I also felt distracted by the nagging thought in the back of my mind. Leafstar's plan for attack was alright, considering that we didn't have a lot of choice in the matter, but I couldn't help the whispering in the back of my head telling me that there was something that I could do that would make it _better._ Something that we could do to ensure that we won… because right now, I felt like the odds weren't looking too great.

Eventually, I had assigned myself to Skyrock on look-out, informed my clan-mates to direct their questions to Leafstar or Brackenstorm, then slipped away to Skyrock to be alone with my thoughts. I could see the whole forest, and the sun dipping down in the sky, heading towards the horizon, but I still hadn't come up with a plan.

 _Okay, so what do we know about the Kingdom? What are their weaknesses?_ I asked myself.

 _They are unfamiliar with our territory, so by knowing every rock and tree, we have an advantage._

I shook my head.

 _Leafstar has already considered that. That's why she wants to take the fight to them in the forest rather than letting them swarm us in the camp._

I blinked hard as I thought.

 _Okay, what else?_

 _Some of them won't have much battle-training, like how Whisperheart, Iceshiver, and Tatteredtail weren't well trained when they first arrived at SkyClan._

 _But, others like Ripper, have been trained to fight and kill since birth._ Another thought countered.

I huffed a sigh of exasperation.

 _Fox-dung! That's not a real weakness, come on think!_

I ground my teeth in frustration, tail-tip twitching.

 _…They're disorganized._

The thought came to me slowly, hesitantly. I froze for a moment. Then I blinked, ears flattening in concentration as I focused in on it, teasing out the thought to follow it like a scent trail.

 _While I was the Kingdom's prisoner, I saw how the Lieutenants squabbled amongst themselves. They aren't a real Clan that care for each other and that are loyal to each other. If there are cats like Whisperheart, Iceshiver, and Tatteredtail here, they probably don't want to fight at all. They are only here because they were afraid to refuse to come. There's only one cat that they all listen to. That they are all afraid of… Silk._

I blinked hard, feeling my stomach flip as the wave of understanding washed over me.

 _She's the one controlling them all. The Kingdom will collapse without her, each Lieutenant scrambling to take power, but none having the strength or reputation to secure it. They have no deputy. Their patrol will fragment, some defecting and fleeing the forest, some supporting one leader, while others will support another. They will be in pieces and won't have to strength to stand together against SkyClan. We will sweep them effortless out of our territory._

I rose to my paws, my heart pounding with excitement. I felt like jumping, like yowling in joy.

It wasn't impossible. We could do it. We could win.

My excitement faded as a wave of cold settled over me like a blanket of ice. I unsheathed my claws as scraped them against the stone beneath me. But, for my plan to work, there was one thing we had to do.

 _It'll be hard to kill Silk during the battle. She will be heavily guarded by her Lieutenants. Before her death, the Kingdom will be a formidable force. In the fighting before we can get to her, some of my clan-mates might die before she does._

I shook my head.

 _No. None of my friends or family will die. Silk needs to die before the battle. When the rogues see her body, the chaos and confusion will set in. They will already be fighting amongst themselves when our patrol falls upon them at dawn._

I swallowed, taking a deep breath to steady myself for what had to be done.

There was no way around it.

I raised my eyes to the sky. The bleeding sun was dipping below the horizon, turning the sky crimson red.

 _I have to kill Silk._

 _Tonight._

* * *

 _Author's Note: Sorry for the cliffhanger everyone haha. I'm almost done with classes though, and I'm already working on the new chapter though, so hopefully it'll be out soon!_

 _Reviews:_

 _CloverBudgie: We'll have to see what happens! Sorry for the vague answer, but I don't want to give anything away haha._

 _imdefinitelynotaserialkiller: We'll see how her plan goes! I don't want to give anything away though haha._

 _Princessaurora2004: Thank you! Well I can say that things will get messy, but I don't want to give away the ending haha._

SierraStanley _52: Haha Lightningfire is all about elaborate schemes! We'll have to see how this one goes for her. And, sorry about not bringing up certain characters very often. There are a lot of cats in the Clan, and it's sort of tricky sometimes to make sure that you bring everyone up every once in a while so that the audience knows that they are still there haha._

 _Featherfrost of Stormclan: Haha what can I say, Lightningfire has some sort of martyr-complex. She just can't help sacrificing herself! Haha nah, I'm just kidding. Or, am I? We'll just have to see!_

 _Sharpbreeze: Hello! Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like the story! We will have to see how Lightningfire's plan goes for her, but I don't want to give anything away!_

 _Shannon: Here's the update!_

 _Stormbreeze: Here's the update! Sorry that there is still suspense though haha._

 _Firestaristhebest: Here's some more drama for you haha_

 _Krool: Haha no problem with the art! I'm glad you're liking the story! I'm trying to work on some Lightning's Destiny art myself right now, and it's also taking me forever :') So no worries lol_

 _Blue Pineapples: Thank you! It's so cool to have you reading! And, I'm super glad you like it. Sorry for my slow updates though haha_

 _Mallowsong: *Looks nervously from side to side.* (whispers) … no… *runs away*_


	76. Chapter 75: A Deal with the Devil

I was bounding down the trail to Skyrock, heading back into camp. The sun had set, and now the camp was wreathed in deep blue-grey shadows. A faint breeze blew through the deserted camp. Besides Lionclaw, who sat outside of Ripper's den, guarding him, all of the warriors had returned to the den to sleep, gathering their strength for the coming battle. I turned in Lionclaw's direction, making a beeline for him.

"Lightningfire," a voice called before I made it to Lionclaw.

I jumped in surprise, turning to see Wolfshade. His grey pelt had gotten lost in the shadows of the twilight, and I had not noticed him down in camp.

"Wolfshade, what are you doing down here?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said with a faint purr. "Aren't you supposed to be on guard duty on Skyrock?"

"Yes," I said. "I want Lionclaw to switch with me though. I want to take a moment to talk to Ripper before the battle tomorrow."

Wolfshade let out a faint growl at the mention of Ripper's name.

"How can you trust a hair on that cat's pelt?" Wolfshade asked in a mutter.

"It may be a bit of surprise," I said in a quiet voice, "But Ripper has no lost love for many of the rogues in the Kingdom. He may help just out of spite for them."

Wolfshade didn't look entirely reassured. My tail-tip twitched faintly.

 _Should I tell him my plan?_

I saw the way Wolfshade was looking at me. He looked tired, we all did, but his eyes still lit up when his gaze met mine. His green eyes glowed with warmth, and a protectiveness that sparked even brighter when Ripper was mentioned.

 _No. He's blinded by his love for me. He won't see the benefits of it, only the risk. He'd try to stop me._

I felt a lump appear in my throat, and I blinked hard.

 _Although, of course he would. I would try to stop him if he was in my paw-steps._

"Now you answer my question," I said with a faint purr. "Why are you up?"

Wolfshade ducked his head a bit sheepishly.

"I was having trouble sleeping without you beside me," he admitted, glancing down at his paws for a moment.

I purred, loudly this time, and stepped forward, closing the gap between us. Wolfshade's gazed flickered back up to mine as I rubbed my cheek against his, then pressed my face into the thick fur around his neck. Wolfshade let out a long sigh, and I could feel the movement of his breath as his chest rose and fell against me. He wrapped a paw around me, pulling me more tightly to him, and he buried his face in my shoulder fur. We stayed like that for a long, blissful moment.

"You promise that you'll stay safe tomorrow?" Wolfshade said in a voice so quiet I had to strain my ears to hear him. "If something happens to you…"

"I promise," I said, the lie scalding my throat as it left my mouth.

Wolfshade pulled closer to him, pressing me to his chest with a desperation. I swallowed hard against the gravel in my throat, screwing my eyes shut hard.

"You should go back to our nest," I murmured into his fur. "At least one of us should be rested for the battle tomorrow."

"I'll try to sleep," Wolfshade promised, and I could feel his deep voice vibrating from his chest from the press of my head against him.

I pulled my head back, and he dropped his paw from around me, breaking our physical connection. But, his faint mint and pine-tree scent still lingered on my fur. Wolfshade gave my forehead a gentle lick.

"Goodnight Lightningfire," he said quietly.

"Goodnight," I managed to meow back.

Wolfshade turned to leave.

"Wolfshade?" I said, a sudden, almost panicky urge filling me as I watched him walk away.

Wolfshade turned back to me, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"You know that I love you, right?" I said in a hoarse voice, my paws shaking slightly from the conviction in my words.

Wolfshade's gaze softened, his worried brow smoothing.

"Of course, Lightning," he said. "And, I love you too."

I nodded, swallowing around the lump in my throat, blinking hard.

"See you in the morning," Wolfshade said.

"Of course," I echoed in a whisper.

I forced myself to turn aside and continue my walk over to Lionclaw, trying to keep my gait and stance normal, although I felt like bowing my head and dragging my tail through the dirt. After a few moments, I cast a glance over my shoulder. Wolfshade had already climbed the cliff to the dens and was disappearing into the shadows of the warriors' den. I gave my pelt a small shake, trying to pull myself together.

"Lionclaw," I meowed, straightening my posture as I attempted to be authoritative. "Do you mind switching with me: taking my post on Skyrock, while I guard Ripper? I would like to speak with him about the Kingdom."

I hesitated for a moment, and Lionclaw blinked at me. I had to be careful with my next few words since I didn't want to give anything away.

"I think Ripper could have some information that would be valuable for us for the battle tomorrow," I said vaguely.

Luckily, Lionclaw seemed to accept my explanation, and he nodded. He rose to his paws to walk past me, but then he hesitated, stopping in his tracks. I tensed, waiting for the prodding question that I knew was coming.

"Did you speak to Nightstorm yesterday?" he meowed suddenly, surprising me at the change in subject.

I felt a few stirrings of anger in my chest as I remembered my brother's suggestion to parlay with Silk with Whisperheart, Iceshiver, and Tatteredtail.

"You mean after you two got in a fight like a pair of squabbling apprentices?" I said, a bit tartly, earning an embarrassed look from Lionclaw. "Yeah I did. Although I'm not very happy with him right now. He suggested something extraordinarily mouse-brained."

"He thinks we should give Silk Whisperheart, Iceshiver, and Tatteredtail," Lionclaw burst out, his golden fur fluffed up.

My brow furrowed.

"How do you know that?" I said, shooting him a look out of narrowed eyes.

Lionclaw shuffled his big, fluffy paws.

"That's what we were arguing about earlier," Lionclaw admitted. "You see, I've gotten really close with Iceshiver…"

"Are you two mates?" I said, my eyes going wide. "I thought Iceshiver and Tatteredtail…"

Lionclaw shook his head.

"No they're just friends," Lionclaw said. "And, Iceshiver and I aren't. Well, we need to talk. At least I want—"

Lionclaw's pelt flushed with heat.

"Whatever. That doesn't matter," he barreled on, his voice raising. "But, my point is she's a brilliant cat, and if Nightstorm thinks he can—"

"It's okay, Lionclaw," I said, lying my tail on my friend's bristling shoulder in a soothing gesture. "I told Nightstorm that he was mouse-brained for even _thinking_ about that."

"It's not just Nightstorm," Lionclaw said, his eyes going wide with concern. "Some other warriors agree with him."

I shook my head.

"That's irrelevant," I said. "Leafstar would never agree to it, plain and simple, and the warrior code says that our leader's word is law. Nightstorm would not go against the word of our mother. Iceshiver, Tatteredtail, and Whisperheart are safe."

Lionclaw nodded slowly.

"Alright," he meowed. "Thanks, Lightningfire."

"No problem," I meowed, with a nod. "I'll see you later."

Lionclaw turned and headed over to the trail that led up to Skyrock. I turned towards Ripper's den, swallowed against a lump that suddenly reappeared in my throat, and padded over. I stopped when I reached the mouth of the cave.

"Ripper," I meowed in a hushed voice.

I saw movement in the shadows as a shape uncurled from a nest at the back of the den and padded over. He approached, blinking his orange eyes at me.

"Princess," he meowed, but strangely there was no venom in his voice.

I wasn't sure what confused me more; the fact that he said the nickname so neutrally or the fact that my internal response to it felt equally as casual. Like he was just anyone else calling me by my name.

"I need to talk to you," I said quietly.

"I've been waiting for you," he said, blinking at me from the shadows. "I figured that you would have stopped by sooner after my _mother dearest_ appeared in your territory, but I guess you've been busy trying to keep your clan from collapsing."

I gave a tail-twitch at his words. It's true that I hadn't spoken to Ripper since I confronted him, and I deliberately assigned other warriors to take his guard duty. I guess I wasn't sure how happy to see me he'd be considering that other night I had confronted him with an intention to kill him.

But, weirdly, it seemed if anything, that night had brought us closer. A fragile truce hung between us now.

"Battle tomorrow morning huh?" Ripper asked.

I doubted anyone told him that, but it would have been easy for him to hear the warriors out in camp discussing it.

"Yes," I said, feeling a hollow in my chest.

"Best of luck to you," he said, flexing his claws into the sandy floor of his den.

"It won't go well for us," I said, a statement not a question.

"Yeah," he agreed.

"They probably have us out numbered," I meowed.

"Most definitely," he meowed, blinking at me.

"Can I stop it?" I meowed, dropping my voice to a rough whisper.

Ripper blinked at me again, but this one was long and hard like he couldn't quite believe what his ears were hearing.

"…Are you bargaining with Silk? Are you turning yourself in?" he hissed in an incredulous voice, his orange eyes flashing in the low light. "Seriously, Princess, I thought you were smarter than that! Silk will kill you, and she'll do it in the most painful way possible. Then she will go back on her promise and proceed to torment SkyClan until everyone you care about is dead, or driven out."

"What if I kill her first?" I asked, my shoulders tensing.

Ripper hesitated, thoughts flickering in his orange gaze like minnows in a pond.

"Wait…" he meowed, his eyes going wide. "Is your plan to turn yourself in to the Kingdom so that you can kill Silk?"

I flicked my ears, but didn't verbally confirm.

"Will the rogue patrol fragment without her leading them?" I asked, staring at him intently.

"The only cats strong enough to take power after Silk's death would be Dark or Dragon," Ripper meowed slowly.

 _Or you._ I thought, narrowing my eyes slightly at Ripper.

"This is a suicide mission," Ripper complained, changing the subject and flattening his ears. " _Maybe_ you'd kill Silk, but there's no way you're making it out of there alive."

 _I've thought about that._

I swallowed, feeling my stomach turn uneasily as dread pulsed sluggishly through my veins, making me feel like my chest was collapsing in on itself. I took a deep breath, summoning my strength and pushing the sensations away for now.

 _Don't fall apart,_ I scolded myself. _Your clan needs you. Think of the prophecy._

"Would Dark or Dragon be here?" I continued, surprised that my voice was even.

"Dark wouldn't," Ripper responded immediately. "He's Silk's son, so he's the only one she would trust to govern the cats back in the Park while she's gone."

Ripper shot me a look out of narrowed eyes.

"Does Wolf-face know about this plan?" he accused.

"Wolf _shade._ Don't pretend like you don't know his name," I said, but I ignored his question, if I dwelt on it for too long, it would start to upset me.

"What about Dragon?" I prodded.

Ripper gave an angry sigh, the frustration at my evasive responses palpable on his face.

"Dragon could be here," Ripper admitted. "Although he hates leaving the city, and Dragon doesn't hold a grudge like Silk either. If Silk was dead, he would lead the cats home."

"You're sure about that?" I insisted.

"I think I know my own uncle," Ripper snapped. "He's big and scary looking, but he's done enough fighting when he was younger to last him nine lifetimes. He doesn't care to do any more."

I nodded slowly.

"It's decided then," I said quietly.

"Are you really going through with this?" Ripper said, his eyes wide.

Ripper shook his head.

"How can someone be this stupid?" he muttered, seemingly half to himself.

I felt a sudden rush of anger. It turned my flesh to fire, but I was strangely grateful for it since it chased out the cold dread.

"Just because you've never done anything for anyone besides yourself doesn't mean that the rest of us are just as selfish!" I said.

Ripper curled his lip back at me.

"Oh so wanting _to not die_ is selfish?" he taunted.

"No warrior can ask for a better death than giving their life in the protection of their clan," I said hotly, stubbornly raising my chin.

"Oh yes, is that in _the warrior code?"_ Ripper said, his voice taking on a mocking tone. "Does the code also have a part about how it's good to lie to your friends and your Wolf- _face_ and go do something stupid all by yourself?"

"I didn't tell them or Wolfshade because they'd try to stop me," I said, my voice a hiss. "But, it needs to be done. And, it's better for me to do it than them."

"Why?" Ripper asked, rising to his paws, his tail-tip twitching.

"I'm protecting them!" I snapped.

"But, they could be helping you, protecting you," Ripper argued. "Why do you have to do the protecting?"

"Do you know how many cats out there have killed another cat?" I asked, my voice lowering, as I gestured with my tail to indicate the dens with my clan-mates in them.

Ripper shook his head.

" _None_ of them," I spat. "But, I have. And, I can kill again."

"And, if I recall correctly, that really messed you up," Ripper pointed out.

I shrugged.

"Exactly. So, it's better for me to do it again than them, since I'm already damaged," I muttered.

"How much more damage can you take?" Ripper said, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Oh, StarClan! Why do you care?" I snapped, fur down my back bristling. "It's not like you've ever cared about my safety before! Or if I live or die!"

"Why did you even come here for my advice?" Ripper countered, pulling his lip back in a sneer. "I could be lying to you about everything! Maybe I want Silk to kill all of you!"

"I know you're not lying," I said in a low voice, some of the anger fading.

"How?" Ripper said, with a smug head-tilt.

"Because you hate Silk as much as I do," I said.

Ripper was silent, his smoldering orange eyes burning into my own. Then he dropped his gaze to his paws. Silence stretched between us for a moment.

"Take me with you."

His voice was so quiet that I wasn't sure I heard him correctly.

"What?" I meowed, my brow furrowing in confusion.

He met his gaze with mine again.

"Take me with you," he said.

I opened my jaw to protest, but no sound came out right away.

"I can help you," he said. "And…"

A hint of bitter amusement entered his voice.

"I'm already damaged, so you don't have to worry about messing me up," Ripper said.

I blinked hard a couple of times.

"Why do you want to help me?" I managed to say in a rough meow.

"One. Your plan is idiotic," he said.

I bristled, but before I could say anything, he continued.

"If you want any chance of making out of this alive, you need my help," he said. "I can say that I've escaped SkyClan, make up some reason to lure my mother away from the main group, where we can kill her. Or, you can go alone and strut right into the center of the huge group, maybe kill Silk, and definitely get killed yourself."

I gave a low, quiet growl. I didn't like the fact that he had a point.

"Two," Ripper said, twitching his tail, a darkness clouding his vision for a heartbeat. "Like you said. I hate my mother. I _want_ to kill her."

"And, three…"

Ripper hesitated, the cloud lifting from his gaze.

"I want to prove that you can trust me," he meowed.

My brow furrowed while my eyes widened in surprise.

"What? Why?" I said in a startled voice.

Ripper's expression twitched into an oddly vulnerable one for just a heartbeat before closing off again.

"Could you manage to sound any more shocked?" Ripper said with a slight growl.

"I just don't understand," I insisted.

Ripper swallowed, that vulnerable expression drifting into his eyes again.

"I want SkyClan to accept me," he said.

My mouth fell open in shock, but I snapped it shut again.

Ripper hesitated.

"I don't want to go back to the Kingdom, spending every moment of everyday on edge, knowing that if I slip up, it could cost me my life," Ripper said after a long pause. "But, I don't want to live on my own. All I've ever known has been other cats."

"…So, you want to join SkyClan?" I said slowly.

Ripper nodded.

"It's—it's not that easy Ripper," I said, shaking my head incredulously. "You helped kill Sharpclaw. You've attacked me. You've attacked my clan-mates."

"Let me make it up to you," Ripper said, his orange eyes sparking in the low light like flames. "Let me help you."

For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine Ripper's powerful presence at my shoulder. His strength behind me as we faced his mother. His claws helping me strike her down.

Then icy fear rushed over me, as in my mind I saw Ripper turn on me, taking Silk's place and rising against SkyClan with the strength of the rogues behind him.

"I don't trust you," I said bluntly, my stomach turning uneasily as I gazed at him.

He blinked slowly, and I shivered slightly as I was reminded of a snake.

"I know that," he said.

He shook his broad head.

"Look," Ripper meowed. "Trust me or not, the fact is that tonight you will die without my help. With my help, you might live."

Ripper tilted his head at me. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"But, what if you betray me," I said, my voice a growl.

He shrugged.

"Then you will be dead," he meowed. "But, you would have also been dead if I didn't help so…"

My ears flicked as I thought. I dug my claws into the ground, like if I could hold the earth beneath me, it might make me feel more stable as chaos whirled inside of me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I snapped my gaze back open.

"I don't trust you Ripper. And, I don't know if I ever will," I said, meeting Ripper's eyes. "But, you're right. If I want there to even be a chance that I survive this, I need your help."

Ripper rose to his paws, something that looked a lot like excitement glowing in his eyes.

"And, if I help, you'll let me join SkyClan?" he said.

I swallowed nervously, an anxious fluttering in my chest.

"That's not up to me," I said evasively. "It's up to Leafstar."

"But, you'll help me at least?" he said, his eyes glinting.

I froze for a moment as I thought.

"…Alright," I relented. "But, I can't guarantee anything."

Ripper nodded, a quiet purr rumbling deep in his throat.

"So do we have a deal?" he asked.

I sighed.

"Something must be wrong with me. I never thought that I'd make a deal with a snake," I said in a dry voice. "But, yes. Deal."

Ripper gave a snort of bitter amusement.

"Sometimes, you have to do things that you've never thought you would do," he said. "Because that's what it takes to survive."

* * *

 _Author's Note: Hi everyone! I hope everyone had a great Christmas/_ _hanukkah/_ _holiday! I just wanted to say that it's going to be 2 years since the first chapter of Lightning's Destiny was published in a few days. I don't know if I'll be able to manage to post another chapter by then, so here I wanted to say that I'm just so happy with how far the story has come, and so glad that there are people out there like you reading and enjoying it! This has been the biggest work that I've ever done as an author, and it's still not quite finished yet! I feel like I've really grown as a writer, and I can't believe it's been two whole years since I nervously published that first prologue chapter! Back then I was just writing the story for myself, and I had never imagined that so many other people would also like it. :) You guys are the best! See you in 2018!_

 _Also, I wanted to let you know that the second part of my story Silk's Reign has also been posted! Only one more part left until her mini-story is complete. Hopefully you like it, and it gives you a better sense of her character!_

 _Now, onto the chapter! What do you think of Ripper and Lightning teaming up? Did you see it coming? Is Lightningfire being dumb for not telling Wolfshade? (I sort of think so haha.)_

 _Review_ s: _Princessaurora2004: Thank you! And, yes, Lightningfire and Nightstorm have been drifting apart, and the tension from the Kingdom is not doing anything to heal their relationship right now :( Also, unfortunately, there will be no contact with the other clans. Fun fact though, in the first version of this story (ideas that I had from many, many years ago) my initial idea was for Lightningfire and Wolfshade to journey to the other Clans to escape the pressure from Leafstar for Lightningfire to become the medicine cat of SkyClan following Echosong's sickness. But, then Lightningfire and Wolfshade would somehow be tracked down/receive word that SkyClan was under attack from the rogues, and they would journey back to SkyClan with aid from the other clans to help. Then Lightningfire and Wolfshade would rejoin SkyClan after the battle. However, I scrapped that idea because I thought it would be too cumbersome for the story to write about how Lightning and Wolf travel to the other clans, and how they introduce/integrate themselves into the other Clans, the Clan's reaction to them etc, and I instead fleshed out the Kingdom/Ripper/Silk more to create a tighter plot narrative. Which I'm glad I did because Ripper especially became an awesome character/complicated antagonist!_

 _Blue Pineapples: Thank you! And, she's definitely committed now that Ripper is along for the ride lol._

 _Umbreon22: Thank you I'm glad you like it! I'm all done with my classes now. What a relief haha_

 _Frostfur12345: Haha I'm sorry for all the cliffhangers! But, I've got to keep you interested to read the next chapter haha :)_

 _BrightMind: First in response to chapter 74, thank you! I was trying to make that chapter with Cloudstar's warning and Silk's appearance very dramatic and ominous, so I'm really flattered that it felt like a movie to you as you read it! And, yes that's the thing about Silk. She's very cold and efficient, although not needlessly cruel. She's just the right amount of cruel haha, so she gets what she wants. I'm hoping that once I finish Silk's Reign, her motivations will become more clear! What I'm really trying to do with Silk and Ripper is to create complicated, sympathetic villains. I really like the both of them as well because I feel for them (even though they do bad things.) It's the same thing with Lightningfire (in response to your review for Chapter 75.) She's the hero of the story, but she doesn't always know what the right thing to do is. She tries to be good, but she's flawed, which sometimes takes her down the wrong path. We'll see how this choice turns out for her._

 _Brian.H.H: Thank you! We'll have to keep waiting to see (it'll be next chapter, I promise.) I hope your tests all went well too!_


	77. Chapter 76: What It Takes To Survive

I stuck my head out of Ripper's cave. The camp was still empty. I flicked the tip of my tail nervously. Lionclaw would be up on Skyrock, but I assumed that he would be looking out into the forest for threats, rather than looking down into camp.

 _That's a risk that we will have to take._

I signaled Ripper to follow me with my tail, then I dashed forward, keeping to the shadows that the cliffs cast down into the gorge as we snuck out of the gorge. My heart hammered anxiously in my throat as we quickly slunk through camp. I shot a quick glance over my shoulder to see that Ripper was right at my heels. The sight of him there made my heart give another nervous jump. I turned my head back forward, fixing my gaze before me.

 _He's not going to jump on me from behind._

The fur on my shoulders rose slightly.

 _…right?_

Somehow, we managed to make it to the edge of camp without anyone sounding an alarm. My brow furrowed slightly as Ripper and I disappeared into the shadows of the big boulders at the edge of camp. I wasn't sure if I was more relieved that we made it out undetected, or more concerned that there were obvious blind spots in camp that just one cat on Skyrock could not watch.

 _If I survive tonight, I'm putting two cats on guard duty as soon as I get back._

"Alright, Ripper," I muttered as we took off at a trot, the forest rising around us as we headed in the direction of the Kingdom's camp. "What's your idea to lure Silk out alone?"

"I'll say that I escaped," Ripper said. "And, that you are hunting at night in the woods, and I know where you are. Then I will take her to you, and we can attack her there."

I swallowed, licking my lips nervously as my brow furrowed.

 _That's a lot of trust to give Ripper. He could just join the Kingdom, or set an ambush for me rather than Silk. Will the rogues even believe him?_

My tail twitched.

 _But, I can't think of a better solution._

"Okay. Then once we've killed Silk," I said. "We drop off her body off somewhere by the rogues. They will see it, and it will cause dissent, leading them to split up or leave."

Ripper nodded in agreement.

"Alright," I said briskly.

I changed my direction and Ripper followed. We trotted in silence for a bit until we came to a little clearing with a fallen tree. I turned to look at Ripper.

"I'll be here," I said to him. "The Kingdom has set up camp in that direction."

I gestured with my tail to indicate which way Ripper should walk.

"I'm sure you will pick up their scent and find them easily," I said. "Lead Silk here, and then I will help you attack her."

Ripper studied me for a moment in silence, and the fur on my shoulders rose slightly.

 _Is he wondering if he can trust me to stay here? Or to help him fight Silk?_

Ripper nodded.

"Silk may take some other cats with her," Ripper warned. "Just so you are prepared. If that happens, I'll hold them off. You focus on Silk."

I nodded, but my eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.

"Good luck, Princess," Ripper said with a wave of his tail in farewell.

I nodded in reply, watching his striped tabby form disappear into the shadows between the trees.

After I was sure Ripper was gone, I walked briskly over to a nearby pine tree. The strong, sharp, clean scent of the tree would disguise my scent, but it also reminded me of Wolfshade. I paused for a moment, taking a deep trembling breath of it. Then I shook my head, dislodging the thoughts. I climbed the tree, settling on a low branch, hidden from sight by a dense wreath of pine needles.

 _Now I just wait for Ripper to come with Silk._

I swallowed, screwing my eyes shut for a moment and digging my claws into the bark of the branch.

 _This waiting is going to be hard._

I opened my eyes again, gazing out into the forest between the branches and the pine needles.

 _What if Silk doesn't want to come find me? I'm putting a lot of faith in the fact that she does what Ripper says she will do._

I hunched over the branch, feeling my stomach flip and clench.

 _Oh StarClan, what if this is a horrible mistake?_

My breath caught in my throat as my heart rate picked up.

 _Do I leave? What if Ripper really is trying to help me?_

I forced myself to stay in the tree, but the anxiety constricting inside me was suffocating. I felt like I could barely breathe around the tightness in my chest, like a snake that was twisting and coiling in my lungs and up my throat. My body seemingly ached with it, muscles crying for relief, for me to run, get out of here. That what I was doing was wrong. I was horrible to even think it. I had to leave. Get somewhere safe.

I wanted to cry out like a pitiful kit, but instead I took a deep breath and held position.

My ears pricked when I heard the sound of twigs snapping.

 _Is that Ripper? How long have I been waiting?_

It could have been heartbeats or sunrises.

The sound of unfamiliar voices murmured through the trees, reaching my ears. Then a familiar voice:

"She should be just up ahead," Ripper murmured in hushed tones.

 _"Silence,"_ another voice said.

Silk's voice.

Quiet fell over the forest again as the rogues obeyed her. I slowly re-adjusted my position into a crouch, unsheathing my claws. My heart was hammering so loudly in my chest, I thought they surely should be able to hear it. My gaze scanned the forest floor below me, then I spotted them, and all of my muscles tensed. Ripper was at the head of the patrol, Silk at his side. Silk was looking around warily, her white fur practically glowing in the darkness, besides the one long scar on her side, just a single slash of darkness through her bright fur. Ripper had his head held high and steady, but I could see how his eyes flickered from here to there subtly as he searched for me in the undergrowth as well.

 _Ripper still hasn't learned his lesson. To look up._

With them were three other cats, rogues that I didn't recognize.

 _So many cats. What if Ripper does mean to ambush me?_

I chewed the inside of my cheek indecisively, my stomach clenched. I tracked their progress through the forest with my gaze, but besides my eyes, I didn't move at all, my stillness blending me into the dark trees around me.

"I can scent her," I heard Silk murmur as they headed towards the fallen tree. "She must be close."

 _This is it. What do I do? Do I stay and hide? Do I attack?_

They were on track to pass right under me. My breaths came in and out of my throat shallowly. My gaze flickered back and forth between Ripper's brown striped back and Silk's white one, and I felt my muscles tensing in expectation. It seemed like my body had already made up my mind for me. With battle imminent, my muscles was already readying.

Fight or die.

 _Just one more heartbeat until it's my chance to jump._

I swallowed, my eyes lingering on Ripper.

 _Will he help me?_

I didn't know.

I sucked in a breath and held it.

My gaze moved back to Silk.

 _Now!_

I sprung from the tree almost silently, only the faintest rustle of the branch signaled my movement. For a moment I hung in the air, silent, the wind in my fur, my paws extended before me; my claws unsheathed.

Silk let out a yowl of surprise as I crashed on top of her, my weight and the force of my jump shoving her into the ground. Suddenly the sounds of the forest were filled with hisses and yowls. My wild instincts roared through me at full strength, spurning me to bend my head, and I bit at Silk's neck savagely as she writhed under me. The salty tang of blood filled my nose and mouth, choking out any other scents.

Suddenly, there were claws ripping into my back from behind, I lifted my head with a hiss, turning towards the new attacker, but before my head could even spin around to see who it was, the weight was lifted. I saw Ripper knocking the rogue off me with a fierce snarl and glowing orange eyes. He was already splattered with blood. Ripper sprung on the rogue, overpowering him with his greater size.

I was suddenly jolted as Silk jerked under me, taking advantage of my distraction and knocking me half off of her. I snarled and grappled with her, clawing at her fur. She spat up at me with burning eyes. Blood was dripping from her neck, but the wounds weren't fatal.

 _Come on, Lightningfire, finish it!_ I snarled at myself.

Silk sunk her fangs into my leg. I yowled in pain, tearing at her ears with my free claws. Silk released my foreleg, but she kicked out her hind legs, sweeping my legs out from under me with them, and now we were both on the ground. I struggled backwards, trying to get myself away from her, but she hooked her claws into my fur, and pulled me over to her. She half lifted herself above me, her jaws opening.

 _She's going for a killing bite to the back of my neck!_

Quickly, I rolled away from her with all my might. Her grip in my fur was loose enough that the roll was able to dislodge her claws, although I could feel my fur being ripped out of me in the process. I sprung back to my paws. Silk followed me up, getting to her feet while hissing. I noticed her swaying slightly on her paws. She blinked slowly, looking weak from the blood she was still losing from her neck. Her chest fur was stained red and her ears were torn, the blood dripping down into her eyes. My chest was still heaving from the fight, but I felt the urge to put away my claws.

 _She's no match for you. You won the battle,_ my thoughts said.

 _No. That's not the plan,_ a different thought argued.

 _That's not the warrior code!_

Silk staggered towards me.

"Your own son is with me, fighting against you," I said, taking a step backwards, away from her. "Submit. You've lost."

"I've lost nothing!" Silk spat, blood dripping from her jowls. "I am the Queen. I will kill you. I will kill him. I will kill every last one of you if I have to!"

Silk sprung at me, and I surged up to meet her. Her claws found my shoulders, but my fangs found her throat. When I bit down, it seemed too easy to sink them in, the soft flesh easily giving way to my fangs. As she jerked, I could feel her heartbeat hammering against my tongue, and her throat pulsating in my mouth as she breathed in and out. I found that life-giving beat, and I bit harder. Silk made this strangled, choking noise and went limp in my jaws, my mouth overfilling with salty, metallic blood. After a moment, I opened my mouth and let her fall to the ground, her blood dripping from my lips. I stared at Silk. The blood still poured out of her, turning her white fur red. Her orange eyes still stared up at me, but they were no longer seeing.

My eyes were locked on her form, which seemed oddly small and crumpled, now that her life-force had left it. There she was: the leader of the rogues. The Queen, dead at my claws. For some reason, the whole thing felt horribly anticlimactic. The battle had been so fast, and I thought that once it was done, I would at least feel a flash of victory or satisfaction. But, I just felt tired and hollow.

I blinked as I realized that the sounds of fighting were gone. Tearing my eyes off of Silk's body, I raised my head and saw only Ripper was left standing, a few tail lengths away from me. The three other rogues lay dead, their bodies crumpled around Ripper. Ripper had a scratched pelt, and one of his ears, which had already been torn, was now nearly ripped completely off his head. But, like me, he was not badly injured.

"Why did you do that?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" I rasped slowly.

I was difficult for me to talk. My mouth was still remembering the killing bite it just delivered.

"Why did you give her mercy?" Ripper growled.

"I… I hesitated!" I protested, my brow furrowing.

Ripper shook his head.

"No, that was weakness," he said with a growl.

The fur down my back bristled and I stomped over to him. I wasn't sure whether I was heading over there to attack him or not. My head whirled. I felt like I might be sick from the taste of blood that still coated in my tongue. My legs felt shaky like the earth was teetering around me. Ripper held his ground as I approached him.

"Mercy is not weakness," I growled in Ripper's face. "That's something that you will have to learn if you ever stand a chance of joining SkyClan."

"It is weakness if you had let her go and gotten yourself and all of your friends killed because of it," Ripper hissed, brushing past me.

I blinked at his words, swallowing. I turned to watch Ripper pad over to Silk. There was no grief in his eyes as he bent down to sniff her body. Then he shrugged himself under her and stood with her draped over his back.

"Lets drop her off by the Kingdom's camp and let the panic set in," Ripper said. "When they see her dead, half of them will be gone by sunrise. The other half will be fighting with each other when SkyClan attacks."

I nodded, walking over to Ripper. We turned in the direction of the Kingdom's camp. But, then I tensed as the sound of quick pawsteps and snapping undergrowth entered my ears.

There were cats ahead. Moving quickly towards us.

"Ripper!" I hissed the warning to him, my pelt bristling.

Ripper's ears pricked, and he jerked his head up in alarm.

It was too late. A huge patrol of cats came barreling through the undergrowth, out of the shadows, almost crashing straight into us. I unsheathed my claws, baring my fangs...

"Nightstorm?" I said incredulously as my brother came to a stumbling stop right in front of me.

The cats came to a skidding, panting stop. I blinked in surprise to see so many of my clan-mates suddenly appear from the dark forest around me. They reeked of blood. Every pelt was torn and scratched. I spotted bleeding ears and limping paws. Nightstorm's face was clawed and one eyes had swollen up so much I could only see a glimmer of green peaking through it.

"Lightningfire!" Wolfshade croaked, shoving his way through the cats to walk over to me. He was missing huge clumps of fur around his neck, and his eyes overfilling with an emotion I couldn't place.

"Lightningfire," Nightstorm echoed, the relief on his face palpable.

My heart hammered, and my mind whirled in confusion.

"Are you okay? What's going on? What happened to you?" I demanded, my gaze flickering from Wolfshade to Nightstorm.

Nightstorm's gaze drifted over me and on to Ripper. I saw his eyes take in everything. The blood staining my paws and Ripper's, Silk's limp body draped over Ripper's back. The bodies of the three other rogues on the ground behind him. Nightstorm's gaze darkened, the relief vanishing from his face.

"What happened to me?" Nightstorm growled, his voice steadily rising in volume as his gaze snapped from Ripper and back to mine. "What happened to you!? Where were you!"

My stomach flipped at the vicious accusation in his tone.

"I—" I began.

Nightstorm's fur fluffed up, and his claws came unsheathed; rage plain on his face.

"You were gone, Lightningfire! You were supposed to be guarding Ripper, but you both vanished! No cat knew where you went! We thought Ripper had attacked you and dragged you to the rogues! Or, _worse!"_ Nightstorm snarled, saliva dripping from his fangs.

"Let me explain," I meowed, flattening my ears, my eyes wide.

"Leafstar sent us to attack the rogue's camp to rescue you!" Nightstorm shouted over me. "But, you weren't there!"

"I w-was going—" I stammered, taking a step back from him.

"Brackenstorm led the patrol! They—they—" Nightstorm's voice broke, and he gasped for breath. "They killed him, Lightningfire! Our father is dead!"

I felt my heart drop down into my paws, and I staggered although nothing touched me.

I blinked hard. Once, then twice.

A strange ringing noise filled my ears, drowning out any other sound around me.

"No. No..." I mumbled, my breath catching in my throat.

"Yes," Nightstorm hissed, cutting through the ringing.

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" I cried, my chest heaving as my lungs gasped from breath, but for some reason it felt like I couldn't find the air. "That's why I was doing this! No one was supposed to get hurt!"

 _"This?"_ Nightstorm spat, gesturing with his tail to Ripper and the dead cats. "Teaming up with Ripper and murdering Silk in the dead of night without telling anyone? _Are you insane?"_

"Nightstorm," Wolfshade said, his brow furrowed as he took a step towards Nightstorm.

Nightstorm whirled on him.

"Stay out of this Wolfshade," Nightstorm snapped. "This is between me and my sister."

"I didn't tell anyone because I knew Leafstar and you all would think it was too dangerous," I said, my chest still heaving for breath. "I was trying to protect you all by just putting myself in danger. I killed Silk, so no one else would have to. Please, you have to try to see—"

"No," Nightstorm growled, his eyes like green fire. "You broke the warrior code, Lightningfire. We are going back to camp."

I felt like I was going to be sick to my stomach. Nightstorm moved towards me, shoving me forward.

"Wait," I said, my voice pleading. "I can stop more fighting. I can stop more deaths. You just have to let us take Silk's body to the rogues. I have a plan—"

"No! No more plans!" Nightstorm snarled. "Not from you, Lightningfire."

I looked at Nightstorm, my heart bleeding with grief. His green eyes were filled with the same pain, but also a fierce anger.

"Go," he said.

Suddenly I felt so weak. Like I had no energy left to fight or to resist Nightstorm or anyone else. I looked at my clan-mates. Some of their eyes were filled with judgement. Others looked confused. Some just seemed exhausted. I looked at Wolfshade, who was watching me with a furrowed brow. Their was concern in his eyes, but also some emotion I couldn't place. It was like it was hidden from me by a veil. I looked at Ripper. He was looking back at me. He was the only cat here that still looked strong. He was surrounded by my clan-mates, but his eyes met mine unflinchingly, a question in them. He was waiting to see what I would do.

We could try to escape, take Silk's body to the rogues.

But, we might have to fight my clan-mates to do it.

 _…I can't fight them._

I let my head drop, tail dragging in the ground. I turned away and followed Nightstorm back to camp.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay for this chapter. I actually had it done for a while, but I didn't want to release it until after I finished "Kill or Be Killed: Silk's Reign." (Since I didn't want to kill off her character before explaining all of her past.) However, I got serious writer's block with Silk's Reign. I had the story all planned out, but I just couldn't make myself write it! But, I managed to get it done; I just sat down one day and forced myself through. I hope you head over to "Kill or Be Killed: Silk's Reign," and that you enjoy it. And, I hope this chapter was worth the wait!_

 _Reviews:_

 _Featherfrost of Stormclan: Haha I can't help myself. Ripper may be far perfect, but I can't help but like him either!_

 _Frostfur12345: Wolfshade definitely is not pleased. More to come on that next chapter…_

 _Sharpbreeze: Thank you! I try to make my characters grow as the story progresses. None of them are perfect or right all of the time, but that's what makes it interesting haha. And, yeah! One of the reason that I picked SkyClan was that I think they have a really interesting dynamic since they are the only Clan that is out there on their own (without other Clans,) so that gives me a lot of freedom to try some different things out, that wouldn't work with the four Clans together! I'm glad you like that I'm writing about them :)_

 _Brian.H.H: Thank you! I hope you had a good Christmas and New Year too! And, about Ripper joining SkyClan, we will soon see what happens, but it definitely won't be as easy as he thinks it will. I think Ripper has a very black and white, "I scratch your back, You scratch mine" sense of the world. So he expects Lightningfire to help him out just because he helped her, but he struggles with the concept of having true loyalty to anyone besides himself. The reason he thinks that way it's really his fault; it was the environment he was raised in, but that attitude is something hard for him to overcome, which means it would be hard to him to join a clan and be loyal to his clan-mates._

 _Princessaurora2004: I agree, if Lightningfire told Wolfshade, he would have tried very hard to stop her from going. He just cares about her too much! Which isn't a bad thing really, but Lightningfire was trying really hard to make sure no one had to get hurt, but herself. Unfortunately, though, that doesn't work out too well for her :( …_

 _Blue Pineapplez: Sigh, things sadly did not go to plan this time…_

 _Krool: Haha thanks for the art! Next chapter, I will be posting a drawing which goes along with it. We will have to wait and see if the Ripper-Lightning-Wolf power-trio becomes a thing though haha_


	78. Chapter 77: Forgiveness

When we reached camp, dawn was still a few heartbeats away from breaking, but the Clan was already awake. Cats were gathered down at the foot of the cliffs, filling the sandy hollow.

"They're back!" A meow rang out to greet us.

Cats surged forward as our patrol padded into the camp.

"My StarClan, are you hurt?"

"Did you find Lightningfire?"

"What's that dirty Ripper doing here?"

We were attacked by questions from all sides. I flattened my ears against my head and ducked down against the bombardment. I didn't have the strength to meet their eyes, much less answer their questions. I took a deep, shaky breath. As I walked, my paws still trembled from the shock of the news Nightstorm had given me.

 _Brackenstorm is dead._

"Where is Leafstar?" Nightstorm said in a loud voice, his good eye scanning the crowd, his other eye too swollen to see out of.

"I'm here," Leafstar said, striding forward quickly, pushing her way through our clan-mates.

Her blue eyes were wide with concern.

"Where's Lightningfire? Did you find her? What happened?" Leafstar asked.

"Lightningfire is right there," Nightstorm said, flicking his tail to indicate me.

"Hi Mom," I meowed weakly.

"Oh Lightningfire!" Leafstar said, surging towards me.

"Mom," Nightstorm said in a low voice, reaching a paw out to stop her next to him before she reached me. "Wait. There is something that I need to tell you."

Knowing what was coming, I let out a quiet, whimpering cry, and looked down at my trembling paws. I felt a soft touch of fur to my side and I cast my gaze up to see Wolfshade standing next to me. I looked away from him.

"Brackenstorm is dead," Nightstorm said quietly.

Leafstar stumbled like his words had been a physical blow.

I heard a gasp from behind, and I turned to see my little siblings, Rosepaw and Wrenpaw, huddling together. My heart twisted and I wanted to go over to them and comfort them. But, I couldn't.

 _Because he dying trying to save me._

"Brackenstorm is… is… wh-hat?" Leafstar rasped, her voice uneven.

Nightstorm looked at her, his green eyes overflowing with grief.

"No," Leafstar muttered, her gaze scanning the patrol for any sign of Brackenstorm. "You must be mistaken…"

"I saw it happen," Nightstorm said, his voice rough. "A pale grey rogue killed him when we attacked their camp looking for Lightningfire, only to find that she was not there…"

"Wait," Leafstar said.

She straightened, and I watched as Leafstar, with great difficultly, seemed to gather the shards of herself together.

"There needs to be Clan meeting," she said, raising her voice. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath Rockpile for a Clan meeting!"

Practically everyone was already down in camp, but a few cats appeared from the dens and everyone turned to face Rockpile as Leafstar turned and bounded up the boulders.

The weak light of dawn outlined Leafstar's form from Skyrock from behind, casting her shadow down on the ground in front of her and across me, covering me like some sort of dark judgement.

Nightstorm padded away from the crowd and closer to Rockpile, gesturing with his tail for me and Ripper to follow him. Wolfshade took a step forward too, but I shook my head at him, stopping him.

 _This is my trial Wolfshade, not yours._

Our clan-mates formed a loose semi-circle around me, Ripper, and Nightstorm.

"Nightstorm," Leafstar said, her voice loud, but flat. "Tell us everything."

"After it was discovered that Lightningfire and Ripper were missing from camp," Nightstorm said. "Brackenstorm led our patrol to rescue her. We followed their scent into the forest before losing the trail. However, the scent had been heading towards the rogue camp, so that's where we assumed they would be. Brackenstorm had us launch an attack on the rogue camp to rescue Lightningfire, but after some fighting, we realized that Lightningfire and Ripper were not there. After Brackenstorm was killed, I ordered our patrol to retreat."

Cats around me murmured in confusion. I bowed my head, swallowing against a dry throat. Dread swirled in my belly like a dark, sticky cloud.

"During our retreat back to camp," Nightstorm continued. "We ran into Ripper and Lightningfire in the forest. They had ambushed a small rogue patrol, including Silk, the rogue leader, and killed them all."

More murmuring. I tried to concentrate on the sound of my breathing rather than their voices.

 _Pretend they aren't there. Or that you aren't here._

"Lightningfire," Leafstar said.

My gaze snapped up to my mother, bringing me back to reality.

Her face was unreadable.

"What were you doing with Ripper?" she asked.

My feet trembled. I wanted to stand, but felt unable to rise from sitting.

"Ripper and I formed a plan," I said quietly. "The rogues would fall without Silk's leadership, so we planned to kill her. But, I needed Ripper's help to lure her away from the rest of the rogues."

"Why did you not speak to me about this plan," Leafstar said, the words grinding out between her clenched fangs. "You freed Ripper, SkyClan's prisoner, without my permission."

I looked away from her.

"I was afraid you would have refused me," I said. "When I knew it was the only way."

"I am SkyClan's leader," Leafstar growled. _"I_ get to decide what is the right way."

 _But, sometimes you can be wrong!_

I bit my tongue against the words.

 _But, sometimes I can be wrong too…_

I blinked my eyes hard.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice rough. "I wanted to carry the burden of Silk's death so that no one else would have to."

"Your foolishness put your clan-mates in danger," Nightstorm snarled, turning to face me.

Our gazes met; his bright green one sparked against mine. His face was furious.

"It got our father killed," he continued, baring his fangs. "And, this is not the first time you have led us astray!"

Nightstorm waved his tail at our crowd of clan-mates. I turned to head to see that he had gestured towards Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver.

"No…" I rasped weakly.

"This is _their_ fault!" Nightstorm hissed, whirling on Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver, who clustered together with wide eyes. "If they hadn't wandered into our territory, if they had told us that they were being hunted by dangerous cats instead of lying to us _for moons_ , we wouldn't have the Kingdom here, ready to tear us apart!"

"It's not their fault," I said, rising to my paws, finally finding my strength to stand. "No cat can help where they are born."

 _"You,"_ Nightstorm snarled, whirling on me now again. "You're no better than them. You knew they were from the Kingdom. _You lied for them._ You put SkyClan in danger!"

"Everything I've done has been for SkyClan," I said, my voice hoarse. "I didn't mean for any of our clan-mates to die today! I was only going to put myself in danger. I didn't know Dad—"

"Shut up!" Nightstorm shouted. "Don't you'd dare talk about him! It's your fault that he's dead!"

I stood, frozen before my brother. Silence rung out all through the camp for a few heartbeats. His words struck me more deeply than any wound, tearing open my chest. I closed my eyes, taking a deep shuddering breath. When I opened them again, I looked up to Rockpile, meeting my mother's eyes. I could hardly stand to see the grief in them.

"Then punish me," I said, my meow low and hoarse. "Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, Iceshiver-they haven't broken the warrior code. But, I have."

Some cats around me started to murmur again. I raised my voice to be clearly heard over them.

"I murdered Silk in cold blood," I said, my voice steadily increasing in volume. "I disobeyed orders from Leafstar. I conspired with Ripper, a SkyClan prisoner, and I went behind Leafstar's back. I caused the death of my father!"

My throat stung, and my chest ached fiercely as the words tore out of me.

"Punish me!" I cried, voice hoarse. "Not them."

Again, silence fell over the camp as my last words rang out, still hanging in the air. Leafstar bowed her head from atop of Rockpile.

"Lightningfire," she said, in a voice so soft that I had to strain my ears to hear. "In light of recent events, you are hereby stripped of your deputy duties."

I blinked hard, turning my head down to stare at my paws.

"Nightstorm will take over as acting deputy until further notice," Leafstar muttered.

Shocked silence met her words. No cat cheered, but no cat protested. I couldn't make myself bring my eyes off my paws to see the faces of my clan-mates, especially not Wolfshade's. All I could manage was a quick glance at Nightstorm. His jaw was set, a grim look on his face. I dropped my gaze again.

"I… I need some time to process everything," Leafstar continued, her voice shaky. "No one is to leave camp. I want three cats on lookout from Skyrock. And, Sparrowpelt, take Ripper to his den and guard him."

"Wait a moment!"

The silence was shattered suddenly as a new voice rang out.

I tilted my head just enough that I could glance at Ripper out of the corner of my eyes. He was on his paws and looking incredulously up at Leafstar.

"You mean I'm still your prisoner?" he continued, his orange eyes wide.

"What do you mean? You have never stopped being our prisoner," Leafstar said, her voice icy.

"But, I helped her!" Ripper said, gesturing to me with his tail.

"You helped her break the warrior code," Leafstar growled.

"I wanted to prove that she could trust me," Ripper said, his voice insisting. "That I harbor no more ill will towards SkyClan."

"Is that so?" Leafstar hissed, venoming dripping for her voice as she narrowed her eyes. "Well I'm sorry, but I find it hard to believe a cat that has murdered my deputy and attacked my warriors. And, you helping Lightningfire kill Silk doesn't tell me much, besides that you are able to betray cats that you've lived with your whole life, and murder your own mother. That doesn't inspire much trust, does it?"

Ripper opened his jaws to protest, but he strangely seemed to be at a loss for words. Suddenly, he jerked his head around, gaze flying from Leafstar right to me.

"Please, tell her," he insisted. "You said you would help me."

His orange gaze burned into mine. I opened my mouth to say something, but then snapped it shut again. I shook my head, feeling my stomach clench and heave as a emotions uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry, Ripper," I said.

I hardly recognized my own voice. These words seemed too quiet, too broken, and too full of despair to be my own.

Ripper's eyes filled with such raw betrayal that I had to drop my gaze back down to my paws, unable to hold his gaze.

"You gave me your word," he hissed, the hurt plain in his voice. "Here I've been, worried about getting you to trust me. I never considered that I couldn't trust you, Princess."

"There's nothing I can do," I muttered.

"Fox-heart," Ripper snarled. "I thought we were maybe becoming friends."

I stared blankly at my bloody, dirty paws and said nothing. I felt nothing anymore now too. Nothing but a deep, black grave of emptiness yawning in my chest.

I heard Sparrowpelt's paw-steps as he walked over to Ripper, and Ripper was ushered away, back to his den

"And, you all call yourselves 'warriors,' and act like you are better than the rest of us!" Ripper shouted, his voice reverberating with fury. "You're no different than them."

Leafstar bounded down Rockpile, the signal that the meeting was over. She stopped for a heartbeat to mutter something to Nightstorm, then the two of them headed straight up to her den together. I slowly rose to my feet, keeping my gaze carefully fixed on my paws, as my clan-mates still milled about around me, whispering to each other in hushed tones. They all kept their distance from me. I wouldn't look at them, but I could still feel the heat of their gazes on my fur.

"Lightningfire—" Wolfshade said.

I brushed past him. I quickly strode to the cliff, scaling it as swiftly as I could and disappearing into the warriors' den.

I sighed in relief that it was empty. I headed straight to my nest. I curled up as tightly as I could manage, and I screwed my eyes shut, wishing that I was able to make myself vanish from existence.

I was only lying there for a few moments when I heard paw-steps and felt my fur stir as a cat padded up to me.

I turned away from him.

"Leave me alone, Wolfshade," I muttered with my eyes still shut, my voice a miserable croak.

His pelt brushed mine as he settled down next to me, stubbornly ignoring my request. I growled softly.

"I said leave!" I repeated in a louder voice.

"Why! Why do you always think you have to carry these burdens alone, Lightningfire?" Wolfshade said, his voice rough, a hint of anger creeping into his tones.

I froze in surprise at his response. I opened my eyes and forced myself to look up at him. I was terrified that I would find disgust or hate on his face, but I saw only sympathy when our gazes met.

"What do you mean?" I asked in a whisper.

"Going to kill Silk alone," he said, his brow furrowing. "Keeping the secret that Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver came from the Kingdom. Allowing Ripper to leave our territory when he was our prisoner the first time."

I flinched at each mention of my failure like Wolfshade was striking me with physical blows. I bowed my head, burying my muzzle in my paws and screwing my eyes shut again.

"You didn't have to do those things alone," Wolfshade continued, his voice growing softer. "Like it's totally up to you to carry the responsibilities of our Clan."

I cracked my eyes back open and peered up at him at surprise.

"What about the prophecy?" I muttered. "That's something that I have to carry alone."

Wolfshade looked down at me.

"I know that I can't ever fully understand the pressure that you must feel with the prophecy," he said. "Like all of StarClan is looking down on you. But, Lightningfire, there are cats here that love and support you, and would help you. I may never be the cat in the prophecy, but I love you. And, I would help you, if you let me."

My brow furrowed in pain.

"I don't deserve it," I rasped out, my voice barely louder than a breath as I choked the words out around the lump in my throat.

I sniffled, burying my face back into my paws.

"What?" Wolfshade asked.

"I don't deserve their love or their support," I mumbled into my paws, my voice unsteady as my shoulders shook. "And, I definitely don't deserve yours. Wolfshade, all I've ever done is mess up. I try to do the right thing. I try to help, but look at this! My father is dead. I'm a murderer. It's all my fault."

"No, Lightningfire…" Wolfshade said, pressing himself to me and gently licking my head.

"It is! I'm supposed to save everyone, but I broke the warrior code, and I failed," I said into my paws.

I heaved a heavy sigh.

"Leafstar was right to take away my deputy-ship. Cats have died because of me. Sharpclaw, Tangle, Brackenstorm… Cats I love. It's my fault…" I cried softly.

"Look at me, Lightningfire," Wolfshade said, gently but firmly, nudging my face with his muzzle.

Reluctantly, I uncovered my face from my paws and raised my gaze to him.

"That night in the root den, when Silk kept us prisoners," I mumbled, before he could say anything, looking into his grey-green eyes. "You were wrong. You were wrong about the prophecy. I really am just a force of destruction."

I blinked hard, staring into that face that I knew so well. That wonderful face that I didn't deserve.

"Maybe I should just leave," I said quietly. "Exile. It would be a fitting punishment. If I was far away from here, then I won't be able to hurt anyone. Everyone could be safe from me. There would be peace."

"Lightningfire," Wolfshade said. "You running away will not save our Clan from the Kingdom. And, this is not all your fault."

"But, it feels like it is," I whispered, blinking hard. "How will I be able to live with myself?"

Wolfshade gently touched his paw to my cheek.

"You will live with yourself by seeing all of the good that you have done for the Clan and all the good inside of you. And, then forgiving yourself," he whispered.

I pulled my head away from his touch, looking down at the ground. Silence stretched between us for several heartbeats.

"Look, you can sit here and wallow in self pity," Wolfshade said abruptly, his deep voice rumbling in his chest. "Or, you can pull yourself together and do something about it."

The fur down my back bristled at his tone, and I flattened my ears against my head, still not replying.

"Do you really want to run away?" Wolfshade demanded. "Leave your friends? Leave your family? Leave me?"

"…No," I muttered, still staring down at my paws.

"Then come on, Lightningfire," Wolfshade said, his voice softening as he touched his tail to my flank. "Talk to me."

"It's just that… I don't deserve forgiveness," I managed to say, my voice low.

"It doesn't matter if you deserve it or not," Wolfshade said gently. "That's the point of forgiveness. It's given either way."

I sighed quietly.

Silence stretched out between us again as I stared emptily down at the ground.

"Here," Wolfshade said, breaking the silence. "If you can't do it, I will give it to you for you."

"Don't…" I muttered, closing my eyes.

"Lightningfire, I forgive you," Wolfshade said.

He nudged my cheek with his muzzle, making my eyes open. Our gazes met. His eyes shone with a strange sort of light from within, cutting through the darkness of the den. I swallowed against the lump in my throat, blinking hard as I trembled under their bright, green weight. I was falling into them. Or were they pulling me in? Clenching my jaw hard, I dug my claws into the sandy ground, trying to cling to the earth. But, there was no fighting the strength of his gaze.

"I forgive you," Wolfshade repeated solemnly. "And, I love you, Lightning, forever and always."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Hi guys. Wow some big stuff is happening, and the story is heading towards it's final act. There will probably be only around 5 or so more chapters before Lightning's Destiny concludes. I honestly can't believe it is so close, especially since there's still a lot of ground to cover, but when I looked at my outlines, as it is right now, there may only be 4 more chapters. Lightning's Destiny has been my baby for so long; it's crazy to me that I've nearly finished it. What will I do with myself once it is over haha. This story is approaching 400 pages now; it will definitely be over 400 pages once it is complete. There is still a lot of plot to wrap up though, so expect these final chapters to be long and action-packed. And, as always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!_

 _PS: One more thing, if you are interested in seeing a picture of Wolfshade and Lightningfire that I drew for one of the scenes in this chapter, you can check that out on my deviantart account. Unfortunately, this website prevents me from linking it here, but if you google my account name (same as here, "SedatedDreams") and "deviantart" you should be able to easily find a link to my gallery, and you can see the picture :)_

 _Reviews:_

 _Gavinus1000: I sent a PM to Gavinus, since this is a very long response to their review but I figured I'd post it here again, in case other people have the same question:_

 _Yeah, I know Lightningfire didn't technically break the warrior code with killing Silk, since the code allows killing, if the cats are outside of the warrior code or if it's needed for self defense. (Like Firestar killing Scourge.) But, the way I see it is; with the Clans, when they learn the warrior code, they are taught sort of the general outline of it, but not the specific details._

 _This is just my opinion, but I think it makes sense with what we've seen from the books. For example, since they are just cats, you know, they can't write things down. So, like the info of the warrior code is passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, which means info can be lost or slightly changed or misinterpreted. And, also, when we read about apprentice training in the books, we see them being taught things like to feed kits and elders first of course, but there is no direct sit down between mentors are apprentices where they are like "here are all the rules of the warrior code. Memorize them, there will be a test before you can be a warrior." You know what I mean?_

 _So, in my story like Lightningfire knows there is a general rule, "Warriors don't kill" sort of thing, but the expectations of that rule are more up to what her leader, Leafstar, deems is alright or not._

 _Also, some of Lightningfire's thoughts on whether she is breaking the warrior code or not just come from a place of personal guilt, which comes from her actually killing someone. (And killing someone can really mess someone up, even if they know it has to be done.)_

 _And, I think Lightningfire probably did break the code though, by deciding to go on this mission by herself and with a prisoner of SkyClan without getting permission from her leader to do that, or to free Ripper._

 _I hope this explanation makes sense! I'm super glad you've been reading, and I hope you like the story!_

 _Princessaurora2004: Hi! I'll number my response too, to reply to your comments from the previous review :)_

 _1\. Haha yes, Leafstar gets a similar thought and decides to put 3 guards on look out in this chapter. Like daughter, like mother lol_

 _2\. Thank you! I tried really hard with that. Personally, I sometimes struggle with anxiety, so I tried to think about how it feels to me when I get really anxious and use that to write how Lightningfire felt._

 _3\. Haha yes, Lightningfire is actually very successful with killing Silk, which is a surprise, but then things go off of plan._

 _4\. And, yes, it all really happened :( I don't want to give anything away, so I'm going to be vague haha, but since the story is wrapping up big stuff is about to go down, and Lightningfire is going to experience some difficult events._

 _Krool: Haha thank you! I hope you like this one too :)_

 _Guest: Ugh I know :( Brackenstorm was such a good guy. I don't know why he dies in all the fanfics, maybe he's just too sweet, so everyone thinks they should kill him off?_


	79. Chapter 78: Shattered Night

I blinked, feeling almost dumbfounded in the brilliance of him.

 _How in StarClan's name did this happen? How does this wonderful cat love_ ** _me?_**

"I love you too Wolfshade," I managed to whisper.

I leaned over, burying my face in the thick ruff of soft fur around his neck. He gave a quiet purr in response. I felt his tail curl comfortingly around me, and his tongue rasped in soothing strokes against my head.

Exhaustion finally caught up to me, sinking it's long claws in, and against my will, I drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to find myself in a forest. I jolted as I turned and saw two cats standing in front of me with bristling fur and unsheathed claws. One was pale grey tom with white patches. The other was a thick furred, dark grey tom.

"—We said we would hold a council, but before we could you went ahead and contacted her, going against all of StarClan's wishes, and now look what you've done!" the dark grey cat snarled to the other.

"Cloudstar? What's going on?" I meowed, recognizing the pale grey and white cat.

I stumbled to my paws, and both toms turned to look at me.

"Greetings, Lightningfire," the unfamiliar dark grey tom meowed, staring at me with his intense blue eyes.

In greeting, he dipped his head to me respectfully, but the look in his eyes was anything but.

"Who are you?" I meowed, the fur on my back prickling uncomfortably at the hostility in his gaze.

"My name is Skywatcher," the tom meowed in a deep voice.

My eyes stretched wide.

" _You're_ Skywatcher?" I meowed in shock. "My mother has told me all about you."

But, it was hard to believe the handsome, powerful, dark-furred warrior in front of me was the same mangy, patch-furred rogue that Leafstar described.

"I'm glad you're here. We have something important to discuss," Skywatcher said.

"No we don't," Cloudstar snapped.

Skywatcher barreled on, ignoring him.

"Cloudstar was wrong. You are not the chosen cat of the prophecy," Skywatcher meowed.

I blinked, frozen for a moment in confusion.

"What?" I said, feeling a hole open up inside of me, as I stared at him, dumbfounded.

The world seemed to spiral out from under me like I was tumbling down a great void.

"No, Skywatcher," Cloudstar growled, turning on the dark tom.

"This cat is not the cat that will save our Clan," Skywatcher hissed, whirling on Cloudstar. "She is the cause of its destruction!"

"You're wrong!" Cloudstar snapped.

"Open your eyes Cloudstar!" Skywatcher said, baring his teeth. " _Lightning sears and scorches._ All Lightningfire's ever done is tear SkyClan apart. She's a liar, and a _murderer_. The prophecy may have been warning us against her failures! I will not stand aside and allow her trail of destruction continue. The rogues are nearly upon them, and our Clan may be destroyed, _for good_ this time. Do you really want that to happen?"

"I know her," Cloudstar hissed. "You don't. And, Lightningfire is a _good_ cat. The only _searing and scorching_ she does is of her enemies! She will _save_ SkyClan!"

"What do you mean?" I said, my voice wavering as it echoed up from deep inside me, sounding small against the deep rumblings of the arguing toms.

They both turned their heads to look at me again.

"Cloudstar, all this time… you've been wrong? I've tried so hard to help our Clan. I've failed sometimes, but I love SkyClan with all my heart. If I'm not the cat… If I don't save SkyClan, then who does?" I asked, feeling like claws were tearing me up from the inside to hear Skywatcher call me a murderer.

"Just tell me what to do. I can help," I begged, desperation etched into my tones. "We can still save SkyClan… Or, is it too late? Is everything already lost?"

"The day you were born, we received the prophecy, and we passed it on to Echosong," Skywatcher rumbled, raising his chin. "Cloudstar believed the prophecy referred to you saving SkyClan, and he told you about it before we could come to a real decision on what the prophecy was about. Because you were not the only cat who was born that day."

My eyes widened.

"Nightstorm?" I said, a strange feeling of cold settling over me.

Skywatcher's dark blue eyes gleamed.

I opened my jaws to say something else, but my vision was already fading. The StarClan warriors faded as the darkness swept over me like a wave. Everything was black and peaceful for a moment, before hot orange light came rushing back, and I found myself standing in camp with hotly burning flames around me. The night sky above me was covered in rolling storm clouds. Enemy cats crept out from cracks in the gorge, surrounding my clan mates. This time the enemy cats were not indistinct creatures of darkness and shadows, but rather they were clearly the Kingdom rogues. I recognized some of them as they surrounded my clan-mates, attacking them viciously. My friends and family withered on the ground, yowling and bleeding. I screamed, barreling forward to try to stop the rogues, but a cat appeared in front of me, stopping me in my tracks, keeping me from helping. Lightning streaked across the sky, dissipating the shadows and illuminating the cat in front of me.

I saw Nightstorm's face, his green eyes ablaze as he blocked my path.

I opened my jaws to speak, trying to say Nightstorm's name, but no sound came out. I tried to move, but my paws seemed to be frozen in place. I looked down and my jaw dropped in horror as blood flowed over my paws, staining my fur red. I saw my reflection in the pool of red, but then the picture rippled, and my face was replaced with Ripper's. Ripper's face snarled up at me from the pool of blood.

 _"Lightning sears and scorches all in its path. Deafening thunder will rip through the Sky. But, peace will come in the sunrise after the storm."_

My eyes flew open as I jolted awake, springing to my paws.

 _"Ripper,"_ I gasped, my heart hammering in my chest as the pieces of the prophecy falling together in my head. "StarClan, it's him. He will rip through the sky. But, how? I need to stop him."

 _Would he really do it?_ The thoughts whirled in my head like a hurricane. _He's helped me before. But, now he thinks I betrayed him..._

"What are you meowing on about?" Wolfshade said, lifting his head from the nest, his sleepy eyes blinking in confusion.

I was filled with a frantic, panicky energy. I felt an urge to just dash out of the den without explaining, but instead I took a deep breath.

 _I don't have to do this alone, remember?_

"Wolfshade," I said, turning my burning gaze on him. "I had a dream from StarClan."

I flinched as I remembered Skywatcher's harsh words about me. But then I steadied myself.

 _No. He must be wrong. I won't destroy SkyClan. I know what I saw in my visions… right?_

I bit the inside of my cheek indecisively, my tail tip twitching. But, then my gaze was slowly drawn up to Wolfshade. Our gazes met.

 _This cat. This brilliant, crazy cat believes in me._

I gave my head a tiny, incredulous shake.

 _I can't forgive myself right now for Brackenstorm's death. I don't know when I will be able to, or if I will be able to._

My gaze searched Wolfshade's.

 _But, I have to trust Wolfshade's judgement. He forgave me, and I trust him. So, I have to trust his faith in me. I have to let him believe in me, even though I can't believe in myself. And, he thinks I can do this._

I raised my chin, summoning my strength.

 _My Clan will not be destroyed because of what I've done. But, it will be destroyed if I do nothing. It's time._

"I understand the prophecy now," I said. "It's not just about me. It's about Ripper, and maybe Nightstorm too. I killed Silk, but the storm isn't over. I think it's about to break. I don't think we have much time. We need to speak to Leafstar, _now_."

Wolfshade nodded, already rising to his paws.

"Let's go," Wolfshade said.

Despite the tenseness of the moment, I let out a quiet purr at his unwavering support.

"Thank you Wolfshade," I said.

He tilted his head at me in confusion.

"For what?" he asked.

"For everything," I said. "For your forgiveness. For being here. For believing in me."

Wolfshade's eyes lit up, and he gave a quiet purr.

"Of course, Lightning," he said. "You know I'd follow you to the ends of the Earth."

"And, I think you're insane for that," I said with another purr and a head shake. "But, I couldn't do it without you."

Then wasting no more time, I turned and bounded out of the den, Wolfshade right behind me.

We hesitated a moment in the mouth of the warrior's den, the evening sun setting above the trees. I had slept the day away. The sun stained the sky red-bright blood-red. I blinked, feeling a bit unsettled at the omen, as we scanned the camp below us. I spotted no sign of Leafstar.

"She must be in her den," Wolfshade said.

I nodded. We turned and climbed towards the leader's den. The climb made the scratches on my pelt sting. I glanced down, and I realized my pelt was still bloody and tangled from the fight with Silk. I hadn't even gotten the scratches looked at by Echosong. We reached the mouth of the small, sandy den.

"Leafstar?" I called at the entrance to the den, but didn't wait for a response before padding inside, my eyes blinking to adjust to the darkness.

"Lightningfire," said Echosong.

I blinked in surprise to see her in the den with Leafstar. I had figured it would have been my brother.

"What do you want, Lightningfire?" Leafstar asked, her gaze narrowed.

"I had a dream from StarClan," I said, taking a deep breath.

"What?" Echosong meowed, her eyes widening.

"Echosong," I said, turning to her. "When you received the prophecy the day I was born, did you ever consider that maybe Nightstorm was involved in it too?"

Echosong's brow furrowed.

"In the vision, I was only told _'Lightning sears and scorches.'_ There was lightning and fire. And, when Leafstar told me that she named you Lightningkit, it seemed immediately clear to me that you would be the subject of the prophecy," Echosong meowed slowly.

Her eyes widened.

"But, in the dream, I was watching our clan battle shadow cats, in the dead of night. With storm clouds above. _Nightstorm,_ " Echosong said with a gasp.

I nodded, digging my claws into the ground.

"I had a dream of cats fighting today. It was our Clan fighting the Kingdom rogues. They are the ones the prophecy is warning us about," I said, the words spilling off of my tongue quickly. "But, I also saw a vision of Nightstorm and Ripper. They are important too, and _Ripper is dangerous. 'Thunder will_ ** _rip_** _through the sky.'"_

"StarClan, no," Leafstar gasped, she dug her claws into the ground and doubled over.

My heart dropped into my stomach, and I stepped towards my mother.

"Leafstar! What's wrong?" I said, my eyes wide with concern.

She looked up at me.

"They're already gone, Lightningfire," she muttered.

My brow furrowed.

"What? Who is? What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Nightstorm and Ripper," Leafstar said, grinding her teeth. "Nightstorm and I spoke, we agreed that the best move to get the Kingdom to leave now that Silk was dead was to give them what they asked for. Ripper, Iceshiver, Tatteredtail, and Whisperheart. Everyone but you. With no leader, we thought it would be easy to appease them, and they would leave our territory. Nightstorm left with them and a patrol of warriors, a short while ago."

My jaw fell open in shock, the fur down my back prickling.

 _"What!"_ I yowled, digging my claws into the sandy floor. "Are you crazy! Iceshiver, Tatteredtail, and Whisperheart are our clan-mates! How could you do this to them?"

"I didn't know what else to do," Leafstar hissed up at me. "My mate is dead. I am trying to save SkyClan from destruction. SkyClan was already destroyed once. Firestar entrusted me with it's protection. _All_ of our ancestors did when they gave me my nine lives. And, look at me, the first leader of SkyClan since it fell apart seasons ago, and already we are struggling. Will SkyClan even manage to live to see the next leader after me?"

Leafstar shook her head bitterly.

"Nightstorm thought this would be best," she said.

"'Best?'" I echoed incredulously, the fur down my back bristling. "You sent our clan-mates Iceshiver, Tatteredtail, and Whisperheart to their deaths. How is that for the best? Nightstorm is making a terrible mistake."

Leafstar sighed heavily like the weight of the Earth pressed down on top of her.

"If your vision is true, they need to be stopped," Leafstar said in a low voice. "Go, find them quickly. We cannot release Ripper."

I nodded.

"Wolfshade, come with me," I said.

The two of us turned and ran out of the den.

We tore through camp and into the forest at a full sprint. There was only the sound of my panting breathes in my ears. The forest was eerily silent today. The sun teetered over the edge of the horizon, wide and bloated. Following the scent of the patrol, we headed straight for the rogues' camp, paws pounding on the dirt. I burst through the trees and into a clearing, my gaze flying around. My eyes settled on the cats at the other edge of the clearing.

Whisperheart, Iceshiver, Tatteredtail and Ripper were surrounded by a patrol made up of Sagewhisker, Patchfoot, and Rabbitleap, with Nightstorm in the lead. In front of Nightstorm stood a small group of five rogues, looking bedraggled and wary. Nightstorm was speaking to the leader of the group, a grey cat that I recognized as Ghost.

"…Here is your trade," Nightstorm meowed, his dark head held high.

The swelling around his eye had gone down, and I could see two green glints in his dark face now.

"Lightningfire will not be joining them," Nightstorm continued. "But, I assume that will not be a problem. We know that Silk is dead. There is no one ordering you to stay here now. There is no reason for you and your rogue companions to remain. I have given you your cats. You will take them and leave."

"Of course," Ghost rasped, his watery blue eyes staring deeply into Nightstorm's. "Silk was the one with the quarrel with SkyClan. With her death, so it dies."

Nightstorm nodded and motioned for Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, Iceshiver, and Ripper to come forward.

I launched into motion.

"Don't do this!" I yowled to Nightstorm as I ran towards the patrol, Wolfshade right behind me.

Nightstorm whirled around to glare at me, the fur down his back suddenly pricking.

"Why are you here?" he hissed.

"Please, help us, Lightningfire," Whisperheart cried in her rasping voice.

"Leafstar sent me," I panted.

For a heartbeat, I thought about telling him about the dream. But, then I eyed the rogues.

 _No. I can't let them know that we are so afraid of them._

"She changed her mind," I said. "Do not hand over Ripper or Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, or Iceshiver."

"I don't believe you," Nightstorm said, narrowing his eyes at me. "I just spoke with Leafstar when she sent us out. This is just you sticking your nose into where it doesn't belong again, thinking that you know everything."

"No. She's telling the truth," Wolfshade rumbled from my side. "I was there too."

Nightstorm snorted.

"Like I would believe you either," he said. "You would do anything for Lightningfire. Even betraying your own clan-mates for her."

I looked at the cats in Nightstorm's patrol, searching their eyes for support. Patchfoot and Rabbitleap looked uncertain. Sagewhisker wouldn't meet my gaze.

"Fine," I said. "If you don't believe me, then think for yourself. Do you really think what you're doing is right? Those three cats are our clan-mates. How dare you trade them like pieces of prey."

"No, I'm _saving_ our clan-mates," Nightstorm replied, narrowing his eyes at me. "Do you want more of our friends and family to _die?"_

"I don't," I said. "But, they are my friends too, and what you're doing is wrong. What would Rosepaw or Wrenpaw think about you treating these faithful and loyal warriors this way? What would Creamclaw say?"

I looked at the cats in the patrol. Whisperheart, Iceshiver, and Tatteredtail gazed at me with desperate hope. My eyes flickered to Ripper's. He held my gaze unflinchingly. His orange eyes stared deeply into my own. I turned to look back at my brother.

"I can't believe you," Nightstorm growled, the fur all down his spine bristling. "You are disobeying orders from our mother, _our leader!_ No wonder she stripped the deputyship from you! What do you think you are doing?!"

"Leafstar _changed her mind!_ She wants you to stop now! She only agreed because she was blinded by grief from our father's death, and you are too!" I growled in reply. "Please, Nightstorm, think about this. Do the right thing!"

"NO! You're the one that's wrong!" Nightstorm spat, springing forward so we were nose-to-nose. "All you've done is wrong, Lightningfire! Everything! _Lightning sears and scorches!"_

I took a step back from him, my fur prickling in confusion. My brow furrowed.

"How do you know those words?" I said quietly.

Nightstorm raised his chin.

"Because this is my destiny. Skywatcher told me so," he meowed.

"There's more than the prophecy than that," I growled urgently, but quietly, so my words only reached my brother's ears. "I don't know what Skywatcher told you, but I had a vision. Nightstorm, if you free Ripper, SkyClan will be in danger. He has the potential _to rip_ through SkyClan. There needs to be another way."

"No," he growled at me, narrowing his eyes. "It's quite simple. I'm saving SkyClan _from you_."

I felt my stomach drop, my blood suddenly running cold. Nightstorm turned away from me, pushing me aside.

"Bring the prisoners forward," Nightstorm meowed, raising his tail.

My paws trembled.

"Nightstorm stop this!" Wolfshade snarled, moving in front of Nightstorm.

"Don't!" I yowled at Nightstorm, flattening my ears.

"Ignore them," Nightstorm snapped at his patrol.

I stepped forward, trying to block the patrol with my body, but I was ignored and brushed past. I turned to watch Whisperheart, Iceshiver, Tatteredtail, and Ripper be ushered forward. Then my clan-mates stepped back, allowing the group of rogues come forward. Whisperheart, Iceshiver, Tatteredtail were immediately surrounded again by the rogues. Ripper, however, moved freely through the group. He took Ghost's place at the head of the patrol, the grey cat immediately stepping backwards to allow Ripper to have the position.

Ripper surveyed us with orange eyes that were empty of emotion.

"You should have listened to your sister, Nightstorm," Ripper growled.

Then, he raised his tail. The fur all along my back rose in horror as dozens of rogues appeared from where they were hiding in the shadows of the trees, pelts plastered with mud and toadstools to disguise their scent. I whirled around, but they were behind me, advancing shoulder to shoulder. I hissed and let out a few desperate swipes, but there was too many of them to fight off. They advanced, snapping and swiping, herding me and my clan-mates into a tight group in the center of the clearing. There were more and more of them prowling out of the shadows, surrounding our small patrol in an unbroken ring. There were as many rogues here as there were cats in our Clan, if not more. My clan-mates' fur bristled.

Nightstorm looked around, his green eyes huge with surprise. His lip curled up in anger, his long claws unsheathing. Ripper calmly padded towards us, the circle of rogues parting around him like river flowing around a stone.

He was the only chance we had at stopping this.

"Ripper. Stop," I said, feeling my heart hammering in my chest.

Ripper's burning orange eyes met mine.

"It's too late for talking now, Princess," he growled, looking away from me. "You ruined that by not speaking up before."

"I know that you must be hurting and mad at me for not helping you," I said, trying to keep my voice from sounding pleading. "But, please stop this. There must be another way."

Ripper ignored me. Not even an ear twitch in my direction.

"I know that you are not like your mother," I continued, desperately trying to appeal to him. "You don't care about Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, or Iceshiver being deserters. You don't need to do this."

Ripper tensed, then suddenly he turned on me, his orange eyes blazing.

"But I do," Ripper snarled. "I thought there could be another way. I thought that I might be able to find a _shred_ of peace."

He spat the words out furiously, the fur down his back bristling as he lashed his tail. Then suddenly he lowered his voice.

"But, then I realized that I was wrong," Ripper growled. "I realized I could never have a home among SkyClan. You would never trust me. No cat there would. You would always blame me for killing Sharpclaw. For doing the things I've done. For doing what I had to do to survive _because I didn't realize there was any other way to live."_

"Trust needs to be earned, Ripper. It doesn't appear overnight." I said in a low voice, my gaze searching his. "But, I am willing to try. You have helped me before, more than once. I was wrong to not stand up better for you to Leafstar. I had been feeling shocked and defeated. I made a mistake. I'm sorry."

Ripper shook his head.

"It's too late, Princess," he said.

"It doesn't have to be," I insisted.

"These cats here," Ripper said, gesturing his tail to indicate the rogues around us. "They're the only cats that will ever care for me. And, I am their king now."

"They don't care about you!" I argued. "They will only follow you out of fear. Just like Silk. If you do this, you will be no better than her."

Something almost like sadness appeared in Ripper's eyes.

"Well then, so be it. Nevertheless, the Kingdom is my only home. My only Clan," he said. "So, I'm going to do what is good for them, and what is good for me. You would do the same if you were in my paws."

My heart was hammering in my chest. I could feel Ripper slipping from my grasp. This frail stillness that hung in the air around us would not last for much longer. We had to do something.

My gaze flickered from left to right. Nightstorm was one side of me. Wolfshade was on my other. Despite the furious argument that we had only a few moments before, when Nightstorm's gaze met my own, his eyes were in agreement with mine. I saw the same look in Wolfshade's gaze when I glanced to my other side. If we could kill Ripper before being swarmed by the other rogues, we may have a chance to escape here alive in the following chaos.

But, before I could even move a tail twitch, Ripper took a step back, into the safety of the churning mass of rogues around us. Perhaps he had somehow sensed our murderous intent.

"I have a message for your leader, Leafstar," Ripper yowled, suddenly raising his voice.

He swept his gaze over my clan-mates and all the rogues.

"Tell her that the gorge and this territory is ours. SkyClan will leave it, or you will _all die,"_ Ripper hissed, as he turned his gaze back onto me.

White hot anger pounded in my chest, and I clenched my jaw.

"You're a monster, just like your mother!" I growled, all of the fur on my back rippling in rage.

Ripper narrowed his eyes at me.

"Oh, you will see just how monstrous I can be, Princess," Ripper hissed.

Ripper's gaze slipped over our patrol.

"Tell me, Ghost," Ripper asked the skinny grey cat at his side. "Does it take six cats to deliver a message?"

"No," Ghost growled, his tail-tip twitching.

"I didn't think so," Ripper said, narrowing his eyes. "I think five cats should be able to do the task just nicely."

I saw Ripper's gaze flicker towards Nightstorm. My heart froze.

 _"Nightstorm!"_ I yowled the warning.

Nightstorm's ears pricked, and he whirled around to face Ripper just before he leaped. Nightstorm rose on his hind legs to meet Ripper, his claws splayed and a snarl on his face.

Ripper ignored the threat of Nightstorm's slashing claws.

Ripper's leap sent him crashing right into him, biting at Nightstorm's black-furred neck. Nightstorm's claws took out huge chunks of fur and skin on Ripper's shoulders, but Ripper hardly seemed to notice the gashes.

I snarled, shoving towards Nightstorm, but the rest of the rogues had surged forward when Ripper had, separating Ripper and Nightstorm from me and the rest the of our patrol.

Ripper knocked over the already off-balance Nightstorm, sending my brother smashing into the ground, all the while keeping his jaws locked on Nightstorm's neck.

 _"Let him go, Ripper!"_ I screamed, violently slashing at the wall of snarling rogues that blocked my way.

Ripper's gaze flickered up, and his eyes met mine for a heartbeat.

Noticing his distraction, Nightstorm writhed in Ripper's grip, striking at his stomach. Ripper let out an angry growl, his orange eyes tearing away from mine and becoming glassy with burning rage.

 _"No,"_ I whispered.

Time seemed to slow. As Nightstorm twisted to claw at Ripper's stomach, he exposed his own belly in the process. I saw Ripper's eyes widen slightly at the opportunity. Ripper stretched a massive paw back, claws flexing to their full extent. Then he brought his paw slashing back down, tearing Nightstorm's stomach open.

It was all over in a heartbeat.

Anger and panic surged through me.

 _"No!"_ I shrieked, springing forward, but this time it was Sagewhisker who leapt in my way.

"You'll get yourself killed!" he cried.

"I don't care! _Get out of my way!"_ I snarled, knocking Sagewhisker over with a shove of my shoulder.

But, when I looked up again, I knew it was too late.

Ripper raised his head, licking bright red blood from his lips. Nightstorm twitched on the ground, blood pouring from the gaping tears in his stomach and throat. Grey intestines peeked out of his torn, bloody flesh. His eyes were open, but they stared at nothing.

A terrible keening cry rose in my throat as I came to a stumbling stop.

"You killed my brother!" I snarled at Ripper, grief ripping through my heart.

My paws trembled and every breath was agony. It was suddenly like just being alive was painful.

I burned with fury and grief, but I was frozen where I stood. We were completely surrounded. I couldn't attack, or surely we would all die.

I curled my lip up at Ripper, a growl rumbling in my throat. The world around me was colored in shades of red.

I wanted to sink my fangs into his neck.

I didn't care that it meant certain death for me, destroyed by the hordes of rogues which surrounded me.

I just wanted to destroy Ripper.

 _"I hate you!"_ I yowled, trying to leap over the rogues at him, but Ghost sprung into me, barreling me over.

I struggled to free myself from under him, but a ginger tom soon joined him to help hold me down.

Wolfshade snarled, leaping towards me, but Ripper's voice interrupting the fighting.

"Let them go," he said. "They have gotten the message, and they know I am serious. If they do not listen, they all will soon be as dead as Nightstorm."

"Ha, here that?" Ghost snarled down at me, his sickly breath stinging my face and nose, despite me shying away from him. "Run along home now, little Princess. Tell your mommy we're coming."

Ghost and the ginger tom stood off of me. I scrambled to my paws, noticing that the rogues had moved to open a pathway for me and my clan-mates to run through. Patchfoot, Sagewhisker, and Rabbitleap had already made their escape. Wolfshade was the only one still there, waiting for me at the edge of the woods. My pelt burning with fury and grief, I turned my head to cast one last look at Nightstorm's body, and the huge pool of blood that surrounded it, before setting my gaze back on Wolfshade and fleeing the clearing as fast as my legs could carry me.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _I don't really know what to say about this chapter. It was sort of difficult for me to post it because of what happens. Like, even though I obviously have known this is where the story was going since I'm the one writing it, I didn't want to make it "real" by putting it up here, or something? Anyways, what do you think of Ripper's actions? Did you see it coming? And, as always, thanks for reading and reviewing!_

 _Reviews:_

 _Guest: Thank you! And, yes, Nightstorm becomes a bit unlikable towards the end, but he's still Lightningfire's brother, and so she loves him regardless._

 _Hazelstar of LightningClan: Haha I'm glad you like it! Thanks for reading_

 _Hamiltonlover10: Thanks so much!_

 _Krool: Haha aw, I'm glad it touched you! I really liked writing that scene between Wolfshade and Lightningfire. I think it might have been my favorite interaction between the two of them :')_


	80. Chapter 79: Hurricane Rising

Fear pounded through me with every pulse of my heart. I ran on trembling legs through the forest, jumping at every creeping shadow as the rest of the sun vanished into night, and flinching at every leaf rustle. In my mind's eye I saw Nightstorm's belly being torn open by Ripper's claws again and again, seeing blood gush out and innards spill on the forest floor.

I gave my head a violent shake.

 _Enough!_ I snapped to myself.

But, still I shuddered, a shiver going through my whole body from nose to tail-tip.

"Are you alright?" Wolfshade asked from my side in a quiet voice.

I set my gaze on the forest ahead.

"Just keep running," I said grimly.

We were approaching our camp now. As we burst through the trees, sprinting into the gorge and into camp, we were met by a frantic Leafstar and a group of anxious warriors. I spotted Patchfoot, Rabbitleap, and Sagewhisker. They must have made it to camp before us. Wolfshade and I came to a panting stop. I heaved in breathes, my chest aching from my old rib wound.

"Lightningfire, thank StarClan you're okay," Leafstar said, her blue eyes wide. "They told me… StarClan… Tell me that it's not true."

"It's true," I whispered, my throat closing up with emotion. "Nightstorm is dead. Killed by Ripper."

 _"No!"_ Creamclaw let out a wailing cry, pushing over to me through the crowd.

"How could this happen?" she hissed, her blue eyes narrowing in pain. "I should have been there. I could have helped him!"

Seedheart appeared at her sister's side, giving Creamclaw's shoulder soothing licks.

"My brother loved you, Creamclaw," I murmured to her in a rough voice.

Creamclaw blinked watery eyes at me. I swallowed hard around the lump in my throat.

 _I hope I can give her at least a little comfort._

"I know he did. I saw it," I said. "You made him light up, filled him with a happiness that no other cat did."

"And, now he's gone," Creamclaw said, her voice shaky.

My heart ached with grief with every beat.

"…Yes," I whispered, not knowing what else to say.

I looked over at Leafstar. She stood there in silence, her eyes tightly closed.

"Mom," I said in a quiet voice. "We need to prepare for war. Ripper is leading the rogues now. We need to fight or flee."

Leafstar stood there for several long heartbeats, not replying. For a moment, I wasn't sure if she had heard me. But, then she stirred like she was waking from a deep sleep.

"We will fight," Leafstar whispered. "We made our home here in this gorge. We didn't let the rats take that away from us. We won't let these rogues do it either."

I nodded, a bit relieved that my mother was managing to continue to lead even after all this tragedy.

 _What would we do if she fell apart?_

Leafstar turned and leapt onto Rockpile. She didn't bother climbing all the way to the top. It almost seemed like she didn't have the energy for it. Instead she just settled down on a low boulder. Cats turned to look at her. She didn't have to call a Clan meeting. Everyone was already there.

"The threat of the Kingdom rogues is still present and growing stronger," Leafstar meowed, her voice slightly shaky. "I sent a patrol lead by Nightstorm to turn over Whisperheart, Iceshiver, Tatteredtail, and Ripper to them, thinking that it would appease them, and they would leave… But, I was wrong. Ripper killed Nightstorm, and now they plan to attack us."

 _"What?!_ How dare you turn over our own clan-mates!" Lionclaw yowled, his yellow eyes blazing as he leaped to his paws. "Iceshiver and her friends are loyal warriors and you've betrayed them!"

A ripple of support murmured through the Clan for Lionclaw.

"Don't speak to our leader that way!" Shrewtooth hissed, baring his teeth at Lionclaw's golden furred back. "Her word is law! She was only trying to help us, and it was those cats' fault that these rogues are here in the first place!"

"Say that to my face you skinny rat!" Lionclaw spat, whirling on Shrewtooth.

"Enough!" Leafstar's voice rang out. "We can not afford to fight amongst ourselves! Not when the threat of the Kingdom is camped in our very woods!"

"Lionclaw," Leafstar said, looking down at the golden tom. "I was wrong to trade them to the Kingdom. I'm sorry, and we will do everything in our power to rescue them."

Leafstar shook her head.

"I thought if I sacrificed the three of them, it would be for the greater good. That way the rest of us would live," Leafstar said. "But, I see now I was not thinking straight. My mind was clouded by grief for Brackenstorm. I understand now that the only way we can defeat the Kingdom is if we trust each other. If we stand together as one body, one Clan."

Leafstar's gaze flickered to me.

"That is why I am reinstating Lightningfire as deputy," she meowed.

I raised my chin, my ears pricking in surprise.

"I understand that when you attacked Silk without my permission, you had been trying to do what you thought was right," Leafstar said. "Like what I did when I gave up Iceshiver, Tatteredtail, and Whisperheart. We both made mistakes. But, I believe you deserve a second chance."

I dipped my head to my mother, taking a deep breath as I steadied myself against the responsibilities she was laying on me.

Leafstar's gaze flickered back to Lionclaw.

"I ask that you give me the same," she said.

Lionclaw met her gaze silently for moment before dipping his head to her.

"Thank you," Leafstar meowed. "We will make things right."

She raised her chin.

"Now we must prepare," she said. "The Kingdom is the worst threat that SkyClan has seen since the rats. They have already taken four of our clan-mates from us: Sharpclaw, Tangle, Brackenstorm, and now Nightstorm. But, this is our home. We will not let them scare us away. We are warriors. We will stand and fight. And, win. I want everyone to concentrate on preparing for battle. We will not waste our energy on patrolling, we will only hunt to keep our strength up. We will continue to have three warriors on watch from Skyrock at all times, and everyone else, I want either hunting, sleeping, or eating. I don't want any apprentice to leave the camp; it is too dangerous for them. And, it should go without saying that no warrior should leave the camp alone. Everyone hunting must remain in a large patrol at all times. Am I clear?"

There were nods and murmurs of agreement from my clan-mates.

"Tonight we will rest, gather our strength," Leafstar said. "Tomorrow, we will fight."

There were louder meows of agreement from my clan-mates.

"One more thing," Leafstar said, narrowing her eyes. "These cats have shown themselves to be outside of the warrior code. When we fight, we fight for life or death. Deadly force must be used."

More nods and meows in response to her words. I saw cats flexing their claws into the ground. Leafstar raised her tail.

"We will be triumphant!" she growled. "We have the strength of our ancestors on our side and the training of warriors! This land is our home, and these lawless rogues will not steal it from us!"

I growled my agreement, the fur down my back bristling, and my mind going red with rage as an image of Ripper appeared in my mind. The cats around me growled in agreement as well, some of my clan-mates even leaping to their paws, yowling battle-cries to the sky.

"SkyClan forever!" Leafstar yowled. "SkyClan! SkyClan!"

"SkyClan! SkyClan!" We echoed the chat in reply.

The ground shook under my feet as my clan-mates stomped and leaped, snarling, shouting, and slashing to the sky in a heartening, but savage display.

I was on my paws now too. The energy was infectious, my heart pounding in rhythm with the chat, my voice feeling hoarse from shouting. I sprung into the air, my powerful hind-legs sending me soaring through the air like I was flying.

"SkyClan! SkyClan!"

For a few moments, all grief fell away, and the only thing inside of me was a powerful confidence; a belief that we would actually win.

As Leafstar bounded down from Rockpile, the chanting continued for a few moments longer before cats slowly stopped leaping and began to turn away, returning to the real world.

I watched them leave, some heading up to the dens to sleep, the rush of confidence in me slowly ebbing away as the deep, dull ache of grief crept back. And, along with grief came his companion—uncertainty.

 _Can we really win this? Or, is this the last time I will see these cats in the living world?_

My dream came back to me. The words of the prophecy swirled in my mind.

 _Deafening thunder will rip through the sky._

That line did not inspire much confidence. But, the final line of the prophecy… that one was much better.

 _But, peace will come in the sunrise after the storm._

I took a deep breath. If we could make it through the storm, there was hope.

"How are you doing?" Wolfshade asked, padding over to me.

I sighed.

"It's hard, but I'm surviving," I meowed. "The only thing I'm trying to concentrate on right now is beating Ripper and the Kingdom."

He nodded.

"We will do it," he said, his voice confident.

"I hope so because we have to," I said with a bitter purr.

I touched my nose to his.

"Come on, we should sleep," I murmured. "Leafstar is right, we need our strength."

Wolfshade nodded. Together we turned and padded up to the warriors' den.

* * *

I blinked awake as the fragile light of dawn fell across my eyes. I yawned and stretched; my joints stiff with sleep ached in protest for a moment before they warmed up, accepting the movement. Wolfshade was still sleeping in the nest beside me, his flank rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm, his fluffy tail tucked over his nose. I glanced up from him, my gaze sweeping over the cats still sleeping in the warriors' den. My eyes hesitated for a moment in confusion over Creamclaw's lone striped grey and white flank.

 _Where's Nightstorm?_

The memory hit me like a boulder as my sleepy mind cleared, and I remembered. The gush of blood. The slash of claws. Nightstorm's dark form collapsing on the forest floor.

I shuddered, giving my head a sharp shake to try to shake the images out of my head.

Tearing my gaze off of Creamclaw, I glanced down at my pelt. I had not cleaned it in over a day, and my fur was filthy, spattered with old, dried blood and dirt. I bent my head and set to grooming it. The rhythmic rasping blocked some of the grief out of my mind.

"Is groomed fur really your biggest priority right now?" Wolfshade asked, stirring beside me, amusement in his voice.

He blinked his green eyes sleepily up at me. I gave a quiet purr and bent over to rasp my tongue over his cheek. I knew he was just asking to lighten the mood, but I happily jumped on the distraction.

"Hey, if I'm going to die soon, I should at least look good while doing it," I said in a voice that sounded much too cheery for my words.

Wolfshade's whiskers twitched in dark amusement.

"Well then, here, let me help you. It looks like you need it," he said, sitting up and setting to work grooming my back.

I gave a faint purr. I stilled, pausing to savor the moment. I was grateful for the moment of normalcy found in sharing tongues with him. It was like being on a peaceful island while the vicious sea swirled around me. I closed my eyes and tried to memorize every aspect of how it felt to be near to him, and to feel happy. I wanted to remember every detail just in case…

 _Enough._

I stopped the thought before it could fully form. I wouldn't allow it to.

I flickered my eyes open again.

After we finished grooming, Wolfshade suggested we should eat. My stomach growled at his suggestion, reminding me that I had not eaten all day yesterday. We padded out of the den and down into camp.

About half of the warriors were awake, milling around camp as the sun brightened in the sky. The fresh-kill pile was meager from the rogues chasing off the hunting patrols, but Wolfshade and I managed to share a mouse, which was enough to take the edge off my hunger and fill my body with strength.

I looked up as I was swiping the last of the mouse from my lips with my tongue to see Echosong padding over to me with a big bundle of herbs in her mouth.

"Here," she said, dropping some of the herbs in front of me and some in front of Wolfshade. "I know there isn't much fresh-kill. But, if you eat these herbs, they will lessen your hunger and give you strength."

I nodded and bent my head to lap the herbs up.

"Thank you Echosong," I said. "Are you giving them to all of the warriors?"

Echosong nodded.

"It will use up my whole supply, but they are needed now more than ever," she said. "I can always go gather more once this battle is over."

My gaze was drawn up towards the sky. I could see dark grey clouds gathering on the edge of the horizon.

"A storm is coming," I meowed. "That's when they'll attack. After sundown, tonight. When the clouds cover the sky and there is no moon or stars for us to see by."

Echosong nodded.

"I can sense it too," she said. "That's why I'm giving the herbs now. They should strengthen everyone and take full effect before nightfall."

I nodded.

Echosong bent over and sniffed the wounds on my pelt.

"Your scratches seem shallow," she said. "Keep them clean, and let me know if you think it begins to get infected, but I'm saving my herbs for bad wounds. They will be needed direly after the battle."

I nodded.

"I understand," I said.

Echosong turned to Wolfshade.

"Do you have any bad injuries?" she asked him.

Wolfshade shook his head.

"Only scratches too," he meowed.

"Good," she said, starting to turn away.

"Echosong," I meowed. "While you distribute your herbs, will you also spread the word that I believe the rogues will attack tonight? I want everyone to be prepared."

"I will do that," she said with a nod.

"Thank you," I meowed.

I rose to my paws, sweeping my gaze around camp.

"What are you doing?" Wolfshade asked, standing up next to me.

"I'm thinking," I meowed. "In my dream, and in Echosong's visions, the rogues attack our camp. I'm thinking if there is anyway we can prepare for their arrival."

Wolfshade cast his gaze over the cliff.

"The nursery," he said. "Plumwillow, Hazelkit, and Maplekit need defending. And, Briarspot is very close to her kitting time as well. Lichenfur is too old to fight. They can all hide in the nursery. The entrance to the nursery is very narrow, only one cat can fit through at the time, and the path up the cliff treacherous to cats that aren't used to it."

I nodded along with him.

"We can have them hide inside the nursery," Wolfshade continued, "And, once they go in there, we stuff the entrance of it full of brambles, to make it harder for any other cat to break through."

"And, set some cats to defend the path up the cliff, so no one digs the brambles out and heads inside," I said.

My gaze flickered over my clan-mates.

"I can have Wrenpaw and Rosepaw do that," I meowed.

I gave a quiet wince as an image of my little siblings fighting vicious rogues appeared in my head.

"I wish I could order them into the nursery to keep them safe," I admitted in a quiet voice. "But, we will need all of the fighters we can get. They are still small, so they will have plenty of room to maneuver on the trail. And, since the rogues are bigger than them, they will only face a one rogue at a time since the rogues will have to be single file."

"Rosepaw! Wrenpaw!" I shouted at them across camp, waving my tail at them. "Come over here, I have special instructions for you."

My siblings trotted over to me, but they were missing the normal bounce in their step.

"Yeah, Lightningfire?" Rosepaw meowed, her normally bright face subdued.

"I think the rogues will attack our camp tonight," I said. "You two have a very important job to do. You will be stationed on the trail leading up to the nursery, where the queens, kits and Lichenfur will be. You can't let the rogues reach them. Fight them off together, and watch each other's backs."

Rosepaw nodded, some fire returning to her eyes.

"We could even try to trip the rogues, or push them off the path," she growled. "No way those fox-dung eaters have our balance."

Rosepaw looked up at me with her pale green eyes.

"Don't worry, Lightningfire. We won't let anything happen to the kits," she promised in a solemn voice.

I nodded. Rosepaw, even when she was a kit herself, always seemed to have a motherly instinct towards the younger kits. I had no doubt that she would protect them with every breath.

"What about the cats that killed Nightstorm and Dad?" Wrenpaw asked in a low voice, one that was filled with hurt and anger.

I swallowed, glancing over at my younger brother. He looked up at me with angry green eyes, his long tabby fur bristling slightly. My heart throbbed in pain with every beat as I thought of my brother and my father. Like me, Wrenpaw had lost them both, but he also lost his mentor too.

"I will avenge Nightstorm," I promised, digging my claws into the ground as Ripper's face appeared in my mind. "But, the best thing you two can do for our Clan is to defend the nursery. And, stay together."

Wrenpaw gave a sharp sigh, not looking entirely convinced. Trying to ignore the feeling that there was a hole in my chest from grief and from seeing my siblings in such pain, I bent over and gave both of their forehead's licks.

"You know that I love you both," I said quietly. "And, Dad and Nightstorm are in StarClan now, watching over us. We will fight and win for them tonight."

My siblings nodded, looking intently up at me.

"Lightningfire, is there anything I can do to help prepare?" Petalnose meowed, padding over to me, and taking a seat next to her apprentice, Rosepaw.

Minttail followed her mother over, taking a seat behind Petalnose, a little farther back from me. I shot her a cautiously curious look.

"I thought I could help Petalnose," Minttail explained. "I mean… since Nightstorm…"

I clenched my jaw, an angry retort about Minttail trying to take Nightstorm's place as mentor to my little brother stinging the tip of my tongue. But, when Minttail glanced up at me, I only saw sympathy in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry about what happened," she said. "Your littermate… If anything had happened to Sagewhisker… I don't know what I would do…"

My mouth opened slightly then shut again as my mind struggled to find the words.

"It's okay. I can go if you want," Minttail said, rising to her paws. "I don't have to help."

"No," I finally managed.

Her ears pricked at me in faint surprise.

"No," I repeated. "You and Petalnose should help Wrenpaw and Rosepaw collect brambles to re-enforce the nursery."

Minttail nodded at me with a quiet purr.

"Thank you, Lightningfire," she said.

"Don't go far from camp to find the brambles," I said. "And, while you're doing it, the four of you, stay together."

They gave nods of understanding, and I stood, padding away from them. Wolfshade followed me at my side.

"You were awful silent back there," I meowed, my voice faintly sarcastic.

"It didn't speak like my place to speak," he pointed out.

My whiskers twitched with slight amusement.

"You did see that, didn't you? I wasn't just hearing things? Minttail is being reasonable?" I asked.

Wolfshade snorted quietly.

"Yeah, I saw it too. You know she used to be like that more often," he said.

I shot Wolfshade a sharp look.

"Maybe she's finally given up. Accepted that I won," I said.

Wolfshade narrowed his eyes at me.

"Won what?" he echoed, a challenge in his voice. "Me?"

"Exactly," I said, my voice becoming teasing.

Wolfshade made me stagger by giving my shoulder a playful bump with his big head.

"You didn't win me," he said. "I fell stupidly in love with you all myself."

"The only reason you did though is because I'm so delightful," I said, playfully shoving him back. "So, I won."

Wolfshade gave an exaggerated huff of pain as I pushed him.

"Yes. Delightful and gentle," he said through a wince.

I rolled my eyes, purring faintly.

"Don't pretend to be hurt," I said. "No way I could injure you with such a little push, you're too much of a big, lumbering giant."

Wolfshade narrowed his eyes at me.

"Delightful, gentle, _kind and sympathetic,"_ Wolfshade said. "Yes, I really know how to pick them."

I opened my mouth to retort back, but before I could, a yowl drifted down from Skyrock, causing me to jerk my head up in sudden panic.

"Intruders!"

 _"Intruders!"_

"Approaching from the South woods!"

Wolfshade's fur bristled, all hints of playfulness gone from his face. My insides went cold.

"To me!" I snarled, summoning the nearby warriors around us, and I wasted no time in whirling around on my paws and dashing towards the South woods.

Wolfshade was right at my side, a vicious snarl carved on his face. Behind me, warriors that heard my call flowed, paws thundering. I wasn't sure how many cats we had, but judging by the sounds of growling, it was a pretty large patrol. We tore out of camp, our paws leading us straight to the woods. My heart hammered in my chest, a bit in fear and a lot in anger. My claws were unsheathed, and they dug up dirt with every bound.

But, as we rounded a corner and spotted the approaching cats, my pace quickly slowed as I recognized the small patrol.

Confusion and surprise swirled in me.

"Ebonyclaw?" I said, sheathing my claws and slowing to a walk.

The cats behind me did the same, murmurs of confusion rising up from them.

"Lightningfire!" Ebonyclaw said excitedly, running over to us.

Behind her was Harveymoon, Macgyver, and Sootypaw, and they followed her to race excitedly over to us, seemingly undeterred by our hostile approach.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Where have all of you been?"

"We couldn't make it out of the two-leg place into the territory!" Sootypaw said, his eyes wide.

"Yeah!" Harveymoon agreed. "For the past few sunrises, there have been these huge, scary cats. They would wait at the edge of the woods, and chase us back whenever we tried to leave the two-leg place!"

"They just disappeared for some reason today," Macgyver added.

"We were so worried about you guys," Ebonyclaw said. "We were afraid something had happened to you!"

I exchanged a look with Wolfshade.

"Those rogues are still here," I said in a low voice. "They are the ones that captured me and Wolfshade downstream; it's the place where Ripper is from. They have already killed Tangle, Brackenstorm, and Nightstorm."

The day-light warriors looked shocked.

"And, I think they are planning on attacking the camp tonight," I finished.

Sootypaw gasped.

"What are we going to do?" Ebonyclaw said, her eyes wide.

"We will fight," I said. "Until our last breaths to defend our territory."

The fur on my shoulders stirred as Cherrytail padded over to my side from behind me. I glanced over at my old mentor. I didn't realize that she had run over with us.

"If you want to leave," Cherrytail said to the daylight warriors, in her classic curt, no-nonsense tones. "Now's your chance to go back to your two-legs den and be safe."

Ebonyclaw's face began to wrinkle.

"I don't mean to offend you," Cherrytail said quickly. "I used to be a kitty-pet. I know your two-legs care for you, and you care for them. You could die tonight, and they would lose you."

Cherrytail flicked her tail to indicate the cats behind us.

"We don't have anywhere else to go," she said. "We have to fight, or else our only option is to leave the territory. You don't have to make that choice."

The day-light warrior's exchanged uncertain glances. Ebonyclaw was the first to step forward.

"SkyClan is my Clan as much as it is yours," she said. "I will stay and fight."

"Me too," Sootypaw said, coming over to her side.

I nodded at them, my gaze flickering to Harveymoon and Macgyver.

"And, you two?" I asked.

They exchanged glances.

"I'm in," Macgyver said, stepping forward.

Everyone looked at Harveymoon.

"Oh, alright," he said with a sigh. "You guys are my friends…"

"Thanks for the enthusiasm, Harveymoon," Ebonyclaw said sarcastically.

Harveymoon just rolled his eyes in response.

I waved my tail, gesturing for the cats to follow me back to camp. We walked back at a much slower pace than our frantic dash there.

"Ripper must have moved the rogues," Wolfshade said in a low voice. "That's how they were able to make it here."

I nodded.

"I wonder if he's mustering his cats for the attack," I muttered.

"It seems likely," Wolfshade said in a grim voice.

I glanced away from Wolfshade, my gaze flickering to Cherrytail's ginger and black dappled back.

"Cherrytail?" I asked.

She slowed her pace to drop back to my side, opposite of Wolfshade.

"What you said to the day-light warriors…" I began.

"I hope I didn't over-step," Cherrytail meowed quickly before I could continue. "I know Leafstar is leader, and you are deputy, and you two should decide who does and does not fight for the Clan. But, I felt like giving them the option to leave and having them choose to stay would inspire more spirit in them than them not having the choice."

I nodded.

"No, you were right to do that," I meowed. "It was wise."

Cherrytail blinked and dipped her head to me.

"Thank you, Lightningfire," she said.

I looked away from her. Even though I knew I was deputy, the sign of respect from my former mentor still made me uncomfortable.

"Nightstorm once told me that the daylight warriors were weak because they will always have a paw in two worlds: ours and the two-legs," I meowed slowly, in a low voice so that the daylight warriors could not overhear.

Cherrytail glanced at me. Growing lost in thought, I continued.

"He thought that SkyClan was made weak by them, since they cannot, or choose not, to give their whole to the Clan," I said. "I defended them to him, but at the time, I wasn't sure how I felt. My father, Brackenstorm, was Billystorm, a daylight warrior once. But, when Leafstar had me and Nightstorm, he gave it up for us to be a family here together. I always admired that about him…"

My voice trailed off, and I had to swallow hard around a lump in my throat as I thought of my father and brother.

"…And, I wondered why the other daylight warriors wouldn't make the same sacrifice as he did," I said, managing to speak again. "I wondered if they thought maybe SkyClan wasn't worth it. But, now I understand."

I flicked my tail to gesture to the daylight warriors around me.

"Here they are. They're still willing to lay down their lives for our Clan," I said. "They are true warriors. As much as Nightstorm, Sharpclaw, and Brackenstorm were. The problem isn't with them. The problem is how we think about warriors."

My brow furrowed and I glanced from Cherrytail to Wolfshade to back to Cherrytail again.

"SkyClan is different from the other Clans of the forest," I continued. "Firestar taught us all he knew. That was all he could do. But, what works for him and ThunderClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan, doesn't work for us. We are different. We are one Clan, standing alone, isolated in our territory."

I nodded towards a tall, nearby oak tree.

"But, a tree doesn't do well stuck all by itself in a desert," I meowed. "It needs a grove. A forest. SkyClan needs connections like that to survive. It needs daylight warriors. And, it needs Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver."

"Well said," Wolfshade meowed with a nod. "And, when we win this battle, we will rescue them."

I purred quietly and nodded to him, taking note that he said _when_ we win, and not _if_.

 _So much optimism in him._

My brow furrowed.

 _Although, maybe it's not even optimism. The other option is just unthinkable._

"Lightningfire," Cherrytail said, drawing my attention back to her.

Her bright green eyes met mine.

"You have grown into a wise deputy," Cherrytail said in a quiet voice. "I am proud to have been your mentor, and I'm sure Sharpclaw would be proud to have you as his successor."

I felt tension drain out of my shoulders, like somehow with just her words, a weight had been lifted from me.

"Really?" I meowed, my voice coming out a bit squeaky like I was really was her apprentice again. "Even though I…"

My voice trailed off; I wasn't even entirely sure of what slip-up I wanted to offer as an example.

"You follow your heart to do what is right," Cherrytail said. "What more could a cat ask for in a deputy?"

"You mean it?" I said, a slow purr building in my voice.

"Of course. Would I waste my breath saying something I didn't mean?" Cherrytail asked, that familiar feisty spark that I grew so familiar with as an apprentice appearing in her eyes.

I just purred in reply, my mood considerably lightened by her vouch of confidence and by the daylight warrior's re-appearance.

"Watch out Cherrytail," Wolfshade teased, his tail-tip twitching mischievously. "I think you've gone soft on us. How are you ever going to train another apprentice with an attitude like that. They'll walk all over you."

"Oh, put a mouse in it," Cherrytail threatened, but her voice was light. "If you keep this up, Wolfshade, I'll claw your good ear off."

"Hey! I like his ears the way they are," I protested. "And, I would appreciate it if they are kept that way, thank you."

"Ha, the deputy is on my side. And, what she says goes," Wolfshade said, lolling his tongue out at Cherrytail from over my back.

Cherrytail just flipped her head with a huff.

"Yeah, like Lightningfire would really stop me," Cherrytail said. "I was her mentor. I know you think she likes you an awful lot, but she _adores_ me."

"Lightningfire _definitely_ likes me more than you," Wolfshade shot back. "And, besides your mentor argument doesn't even work, since I was her mentor too."

"Ah, but you don't remember it!" Cherrytail said victoriously.

"That was a low blow, Cherrytail," Wolfshade said, giving a gasp of mock-pain.

He glanced over at me with absurdly wide, sad eyes.

"How dare she say that," he appealed to me. "Lightningfire, she hurt my feelings. Tell her that you like me better."

I rolled my eyes, stifling purrs.

"I'm not getting in the middle of this," I said.

"So, you don't care that your first mentor is a cold, heartless fox?" Wolfshade said, shooting Cherrytail a sharp look from across my back.

Cherrytail just snorted in amusement in response.

"I think we have more pressing matters to deal with right now than deciding whether or not Cherrytail 'hurt your feelings,'" I said to him in a dry voice.

"I can't believe this," Wolfshade muttered seemingly to himself, but in a voice loud enough so that I could hear. "My own mate, turned against me."

I just rolled my eyes again.

When we made it back to camp, I set the daylight warriors to the task of gathering brambles for the nursery and gave Cherrytail a nod of goodbye as she left. As they padded off, I spotted a familiar bundle of white and dark ginger fur.

"Owlpaw!" I called.

It had only been a little over one day since I've spoken to her, but so much has happened it almost felt like a life-time.

She bounded over to me and Wolfshade when I called, looking up at me with expectant yellow eyes.

"Er—hello," I meowed a bit awkwardly, suddenly unsure of what I wanted to say to her.

 _Is she mad at me? She must have seen Leafstar strip the title of deputy from me. Is she ashamed to be my apprentice? Cherrytail said she was proud of me… but her daughter might have a different opinion._

"How are you?" I managed.

"A little worried," she admitted. "But, I remember the battle moves you taught me. We won't let those rogues beat us."

I nodded.

"I know you aren't fully trained yet," I meowed quietly. "I'm sorry that I wasn't able to fully prepared you…"

"You did the best you could with the time we got!" Owlpaw argued back, interrupting me. "How were we supposed to know that we'd be attacked before I finished my training?"

I purred softly in response to her fierce reply, my concerns that she might be ashamed of me assuaged.

"I suppose you're right," I said. "Just promise me you'll stick close to your brothers. Don't let the rogues split you up and make you fight alone."

Owlpaw nodded.

"I will," she promised.

Nervousness filled Owlpaw's eyes for a moment and she glanced from me to Wolfshade.

"You think we can win this right?" she asked.

"Of course," Wolfshade meowed without hesitation.

I just nodded along, not trusting my tongue to speak.

 _'Peace will come in the sunrise after the storm,' remember? We can do it._ I tried to reassure myself.

The worry fell away from Owlpaw's eyes at our reassurance. I looked at her, my heart twisting.

 _She's still so young and trusting! Oh, StarClan, please keep her safe._

"I had an idea for fighting the rogues," Owlpaw meowed, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I noticed her voice was a bit uncharacteristically shy.

"Or, well, Ripplepaw and I came up with it together," she corrected.

I tilted my head curiously at her.

"What is it?" I asked.

Her tail stuck straight up in excitement and the shyness melted away as quickly as her concern had at our reassurance.

"We were thinking about that story about how you killed a snake when you were just an apprentice!" she meowed excitedly. "You dropped a big rock on it, right? We could do the same thing to the rogues. Like, we could roll or carry big rocks up to the dens, then when the rogues come and try to climb the cliff, we could push the rocks out on them."

I stood without speaking for a moment, my brow furrowed as I thought. I glanced over at Wolfshade, and he glanced over at me. Wolfshade picked his ears, an impressed expression on his face.

"That's… a great idea, Owlpaw," I meowed.

Owlpaw danced from foot to foot like she couldn't contain her energy enough to keep still.

"I will speak to Leafstar about it when we work out our battle plan," I continued. "But, I think she will agree."

I turned to glance at Wolfshade again.

"Wolfshade, why don't you and Owlpaw go ahead and get to collecting some rocks," I said. "Get other warriors to help you. Especially really strong warriors who can move heavy rocks like Sparrowpelt and Lionclaw."

Wolfshade nodded to me.

"No problem, Lightning," he said.

"I'm going to go find Leafstar and speak to her now," I said, touching my nose to Wolfshade's in goodbye. "After we work out the battle plan, I'm sure she'll call a Clan meeting about it, so I'll see you two in a bit."

"Sounds good," Wolfshade meowed, starting to walk away.

"Wait," I said, stopping him. "When you go collect rocks, don't go outside of the gorge or too far out of camp. Rogues could be sniffing around nearby. And, I don't want anyone getting hurt yet."

Wolfshade gave me a nod and a reassuring purr in reply, touching his nose to mine again.

Our gazes met, and I stared intently at him, biting the inside of my cheek as a sudden rush of icy dread filled my heart at the thought of never seeing those sliver and green eyes glimmer in the light again.

I swallowed against a suddenly dry throat.

 _"Wolfshade, promise to stay safe,"_ I said in a rough whisper, my voice barely more than a breath.

My eyes searched Wolfshade's, and I hoped he knew I wasn't talking about looking for rocks.

"Don't worry," he said, blinking his eyes. "We'll be careful."

"You _promise?"_ I insisted.

"I promise," Wolfshade replied, his voice serious.

"Okay," I said, slowing pulling away from his touch, although a twinge of nervousness still swirled in my belly. "You wouldn't ever lie to me would you? You have to keep that promise."

"I will, Lightningfire," Wolfshade said, drawing himself up to his full height and giving me a deep, solemn nod.

I nodded back, then quickly turned away because I knew if I spent one more moment longer looking in his eyes, I wouldn't be able to leave him.

I padded towards the dens, heading to see if Leafstar was in her den.

"Lightningfire," someone called my name before I could start climbing the cliff.

My ear twitched back, and I turned to look at Sagewhisker padding over to me, his tail low.

"Yes Sagewhisker?" I said, trying to keep the iciness out of my voice.

In my mind, I saw him leaping at me again, stopping me from springing to Nightstorm's defense.

He ducked his head, his ears flattening.

"I—I wanted to apologize," he meowed. "For turning over Tatteredtail and Whisperheart and Iceshiver. I knew it was wrong, but I obeyed Nightstorm anyway."

I looked away from the grey tabby.

"Nightstorm was the acting deputy," I said my tones flat. "You did nothing wrong by obeying him."

"I just wish…" Sagewhisker began, his voice fading away.

I looked over at him again, his green eyes meeting mine. For the first time, I noticed there were flecks of blue in the pale green.

"We used to be friends," Sagewhisker said. "I wish we could be that again."

My gaze drifted from him and up to the sky. More and more clouds were creeping up across the horizon.

"Once this is over," I meowed slowly. "Maybe we can be."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _The alternate name to this chapter is "Lightningfire goes around talking to everyone" lol. I know this chapter is very exposition and dialogue heavy; the big battle is coming, I promise. Just had to make sure to wrap up some loose ends first, and give Lightningfire a brief break from all the violence lol. Thanks for reading!_

 _Reviews:_

 _Princessaurora2004: Yeah, I have mixed feelings about Nightstorm's death. He did become a jerk and was selfish, but he wasn't really evil or anything. And, about Ripper, I tried to write his character/how Lightningfire perceives Ripper in such a way that there would be a mix of readers who trusted him and who didn't. Which is good because it means his behavior is unpredictable and his betrayal more of a surprise._

 _Blue Pineapplez: Thank you so much! Glad that you're liking it :)_

 _Guest: Haha next chapter I promise!_

 _Flamestar: Thank you! She does try her best :)_

 _Krool: Haha aw I feel a little bad about making you cry, but I'm happy that you find the story so emotional :')_


	81. Chapter 80: Raging Rain

I was up in the warriors' den, the wall of the den to my right, Wolfshade to my left, with Owlpaw sandwiched between the two of us, and a line of warriors from Wolfshade to the other wall. My cats' eyes gleamed faintly in the darkness, and I saw some pelts shifting nervously as we waited. My gaze flickered down to Owlpaw's. Her yellow eyes looked up to meet mine. They were filled with a nervous energy, but she was silent as we looked at each other, as Leafstar had ordered us to be. I gave her a nod of encouragement before glancing away from my clan-mates and out into camp. The camp before us was nothing but shadows, mud, and water. Rain pelted down. Rolling black storm clouds covered the night sky, and my ears pricked as I heard a faint rumble of thunder in the distance.

Besides the water trickling down the stones, everything down in camp was completely still. I could just faintly make out the mountain of boulders that made up Rockpile. I scanned the crevasses of Rockpile, but I could spot no movement in the deep shadows there, even though I knew that's where Leafstar and her patrol waited, getting soaked by the relentless rain. I sniffed the air, and all I could smell was water. It would mask the scents of the rogues as they arrived, but it would also disguise the scents of us, waiting to ambush them.

I unsheathed and sheathed my claws, digging them in and out of the sand, trying to displace some of the anxious energy that swirled inside of me with the small motion. I wanted to stand and stretch my stiffening muscles, but I couldn't risk the eye-catching movement. The camp had to appear to be sleeping when the rogues arrived.

We had already barricaded the nursery with brambles. Lichenfur, Briarspot, Plumwillow, Maplekit and Hazelkit were inside, along with Echosong and her supply of vital herbs which were moved up there. Briarspot was so close to her kitting time, Echosong didn't want to risk not being in the nursery with her. Wrenpaw, Rosepaw, and Sootypaw, who I assigned to aid my siblings, were waiting in the apprentice den, able to move quickly into position to defend the nursery as soon as the rogues appeared.

I glanced down at the ground in front of me. The ground in front of our line of warriors was lined with stones. Some rocks were only the size of my paw. Others were as big as my head. Wolfshade and Owlpaw and their patrol had done a good job in finding them and hauling them up to the den.

The plan Leafstar and I came up with was a rather simple one, although I felt confident that it would work. Ripper, of course, knew the layout of our camp since he had spent many days here as our prisoner. He would think that this gave him the advantage.

I shook my head to myself, digging my claws into the ground again.

 _But, it is actually us with the advantage since we know he is attacking tonight. So, we were able to prepare while taking into consideration his knowledge of the camp._

Leafstar's patrol was larger than mine. Most of our warriors were out there, camped hidden in the cracks of Rockpile, while Ripper would be expecting that we would be up in the cliff, sleeping in our dens. My patrol was in the warriors' den, but we weren't sleeping. We were waiting for the ambush. When the Kingdom arrived, they would scale the cliffs towards our dens, as Ripper would have instructed them to do. But, instead of finding us sleeping in our nests, unaware of the attack, the rogues would be greeted by a bombardment of rocks, tossed down on them by my patrol before they could even reach the dens. After all the rocks were used, the rogues would be injured and stunned, at which point Leafstar's patrol would surge forward, trapping the rogues against the cliffs, while my patrol and I would fall on them from above.

After that, the battle would dissolve into chaos, and all carefully planned battle strategy would vanish as we simply fought for our lives. My tail-tip twitched nervously. I hoped that we would be able to do enough damage with the rocks and the surprise attack to allow us to win the fight.

Now there was nothing left for us to do but to wait for the rogues to spring the trap.

The night stretched on slowly, and the storm remained relentless. It was impossible to tell how much time had passed. Every moment seemed to be the same as the last; there was always the sound of pouring rain and the occasional rumble of thunder. I shifted my weight from foot to foot again, and I yawned, my gaze flickering out into camp. I felt a flash of sympathy for my clan-mates out there in the rain.

Suddenly my gaze snapped to attention as I spotted the faintest flicker of movement. It was so hard to see; I could've thought that I'd imagined the shifting shadow down in camp. But, Ravenfur's tail raised. The signal. I wasn't imagining it; she saw it too. A wave of alertness rippled down the row of cats, eyes suddenly became bright with energy, fur bushed out in anxiety, and claws unsheathed in preparation.

My heart felt like it moved from my stomach up into my throat. My breaths shallow, I pricked my ears, anxiously waiting to hear yowls of fighting if the rogues had noticed the warriors down in camp. But, besides the sounds of the pouring rain, everything was still silent. I glanced to my left at all my warriors again. Some were still looking out into camp, others were looking at me. Wolfshade's eyes met mine.

He gave me a nod, his eyes filled with a powerful determination. I took a deep breath, drawing from the well of strength I found in his gaze and nodded back at him. I looked down into camp and stuck my tail straight up into the air into an alert position. My clan-mate's attention snapped to me.

I crept forward towards the edge of the cliff extremely slowly, keeping my tail raised. I peeked over the edge just enough that I could see the cliff-face, and the trail leading down from the dens into camp. Over the sound of the rain I heard the faintest noises of claws scraping against rock. Then my eyes picked out the moving shadows creeping slowly up the cliffs; their progress slowed since the cliff was slick with water. None of the cats spoke a word of warning though; it seemed that they didn't see me. The only part of me that they could spot from the angle of their climb up the cliff would be my head peeking out from over the edge, but since I wasn't moving, in the darkness there was no way to differentiate me from a rock in the cliff.

I slowly lowered my tail so that it stuck straight out behind me.

 _Ready, hold._

My cats responded to the signal, positioning themselves right in front of the rocks they had lined up, muscles tensed in anticipation of the final signal. I watched the enemy cats creep slowly up the cliff face, and I waited. While I didn't want either the rogues to reach the dens or to have an overwhelming number on the cliffs, I wanted there to be enough cats that the rocks would do maximum damage.

I held for as long as I could, feeling the anxious energy growing inside of me as the number of cats on the cliff increased. Then I swept my tail from side to side in a long sweeping gesture.

 _Go!_

My cats sprung to life, moving silently, quickly and efficiently. The pushed the stones to the edge of the cliff with their muzzles and paws, pausing only for a moment to aim before nudging them off the cliff. The rocks began to fall without warning.

A yowl broke through the night as the first rogue was struck.

"Watch out! Rocks!" I hear one of them cry.

The sounds of the storm were suddenly interrupted by the sounds of cats yowling.

I watched the rogues scramble. Their careful climb up the cliff interrupted, they instead turned to scrabbling chaotically. Some slipped and fell down, their paws moving too quickly on the wet cliffs to keep their balance. Others abandoned the climb deliberately, springing off the cliffs and back to the relatively more safe ground. And others still surged higher up the cliff with increased vigor, only to be struck by the rocks and pebbles we propelled off the cliff.

"Out of rocks!" Wolfshade yowled from behind me, his voice ringing out into camp.

"SkyClan, attack!" I shrieked, my fur bristling as I dug my claws into the ground.

"SkyClan, attack!" Leafstar's yowl echoed immediately after she heard mine.

I had just enough time to glance over and watch the shadows on Rockpile suddenly come to life. I didn't waste any more time watching Leafstar's approach though. I was teetering on the edge of the cliff, and the ground was many, many tail lengths below.

Time seemed to slow down as my gaze scanned the cliff, my eyes fixing on a rogue that still stubbornly clung to the rock face. I angled myself in his direction. For one fraction of a heartbeat, my thoughts switched from the task at hand to Wolfshade.

 _I need to look back at him one more time._

 _Just once more. I need to see him._

 _I need to say goodbye._

I clenched my jaw.

 _No. We will not say goodbye tonight._

I let myself fall, paws out-stretched.

My clan-mates followed me down. Out of rocks, we threw ourselves from the cliffs instead.

My paws hit the rogue, and that hit managed to dislodge him from the cliff as I continued my fall towards the earth. The hit against the rogue sent me tumbling through the air, and I had just enough time to give my tail a whip, correcting myself and positioning my paws underneath me before I hit the ground. The impact was hard and rattled me seemingly to my bones, but I was still standing. My gaze snapped to a rogue on my right, and without so much another thought, I threw myself into the fight.

Leafstar's patrol made it across camp and crashed into the group of rogues like a rolling tide, forcing the rogues against the cliff with nowhere to flee.

It was madness.

The rogue I had leapt at scrambled off into the darkness after I landed a few scratches without even putting up a fight, leaving me standing alone, panting in the rain, blinking water out of my eyes, and frantically trying to make out the world around me. With the moon and stars covered by the rolling storm clouds, there was next to no light to see by. My vision could only clearly make out the area a few tail-lengths around me, everything else was flickering shadows, indistinct and lost in the darkness around it. The sounds of snarling cats met my ears and the scents of both friends and foes flooded my nostrils, but with the cat's yowls echoing off of the cliffs and the scents muddling together with those of water and mud, it was nearly impossible to figure out where exactly anyone was, and if they were my clan-mate or my enemy.

A loud cry came from behind me, and I whipped around, expecting someone to be right at my tail, but there was nothing there. It was like everyone was pressing in around me and nobody was here at the same time. My breaths began to come in short, panicked gasps as a cold, creeping feeling of recognition came over me.

The darkness. The senseless sounds of violence. The pouring rain.

 _I am living my nightmares._

I stumbled forward, gasping as my paws brushed a black furred shape on the ground that I had not noticed in the darkness. I recoiled for a fraction of a moment, before my mind realized that the shape did not stir. Then I bent my head, getting close to breath in the scent on the fur through the scents of rain, mud, and blood. I recognized Ravenfur's scent through the heavy, salty tang of blood. I also noticed her fur was cold under my muzzle.

 _No._

"Ravenfur," I murmured, nudging her side with my nose.

This close to her, I was able to decipher her shape. She lay contorted on the ground, her neck wretched back at an unnatural angle, her eyes staring emptily up at the star-less, cloudy, black sky. I clenched my jaw, digging my claws into the ground as a profound sense of helplessness flooded me as I realized I could do nothing to help her.

 _There doesn't even look to be claw wounds on her. She somehow must have broke her neck during the jump from the den._

 _I'm the one that came up with that plan to jump from the dens._

I let out a high-pitched whine through my clenched fangs, feeling like I was paralyzed, unable to move from her side.

Suddenly, the gorge was lit up by a flash of blinding white light from the sky. The lightning bolt was brief, but it gave me enough time to make out the cats around me. There everyone was, the rogues and my clan-mates fighting in a desperate struggle in the sand.

 _Stop standing here!_ I thought angrily to myself. _I need to get out there and do something! Help them, so they don't die like Ravenfur! My clan-mates need me!_

Across camp, I saw Sagewhisker being attacked on both sides by two rogues. Our eyes met for a fraction of a second. His bright green eyes glowed eerily white, reflecting the lightning, before the camp was plunged into darkness again. This darkness was even more complete that the last because the brightness of the lightning had stolen what little night vision I had.

But, I didn't need to see now because I held the image of Sagewhisker's location in my mind, and I had forced my paws into motion. I was already running towards him. Thunder rumbled overhead as my paws dug into the wet, sandy ground, grains of sand being flung behind me as I ran.

I made it close enough to them to distinctly make out their figures. Sagewhisker had been struck down. I saw the two rogues looming over him, one grey, the other black-and-white. I saw Sagewhisker glance over at me, and his eyes met mine.

 _I'm almost there!_

I seemed to scream the thought at him from my mind.

Sagewhisker's eyes were full of panic for a moment, before they were flooded with a strange calm, like he had somehow heard me. Then I watched as the light was snuffed out of them as a black-and-white cat snapped his neck.

I barreled into the black-and-white cat at full speed, snarling obscenities spilling uncontrollably from my lips.

"You useless, fox-dung eating piece of—!" I spat, digging my claws deeply into his skin and relishing the way it felt to slice them through his flesh.

I clamped my jaws down on his leg, growling with satisfaction as my teeth scraped bone. The cat shrieked in pain, but I was torn from him by the other rogue. I quickly regained my footing, only to see the two rogues advancing towards me side-by-side. I recognized the grey rogue as Ghost.

Ghost bared jagged, yellow fangs at me in a taunting snarl.

I growled, tensing my muscles. I would have to fight them both. And, I hoped I would be able to manage what Sagewhisker could not.

The black-and-white rogue darted at me first, seemingly incensed about my earlier attack.

I faced him, claws flashing through his fur, but before I could dig them into his skin, I had to quickly turn to dodge Ghost's spring at me. While I was distracted by Ghost, the other cat managed to get a few blows in, tearing fur out of my shoulders, and snapping his jaws at my ears, which I just barely managed to flatten before he could catch them in his teeth. My whiskers tingled as somehow through the rain and the darkness, I sensed Ghost's intentions to spring at me again. Giving a desperate jolt, I managed to shake the black-and-white rogue off of me, and I quickly backpedaled away from them both before Ghost could attack. Panting, I continued to dance away from the two of them, trying to keep both of their forms in my range of vision.

Then from behind them loomed another dark shadow. I bared my fangs.

 _Not another rogue!_

But, then the shadow sprung at Ghost.

 _Wolfshade!_

His wet fur looked black in the darkness, and his normally long, fluffy coat was plastered to his sides from the water, but from such a close distance, his mint-pine scent was unmistakable. Wolfshade and Ghost tussled together, and I saw the black-and-white cat coming to Ghost's defense. I sprung at the rogue before he could aid Ghost. One on one, the black-and-white rogue and I were evenly matched. As I dodged his blows, I could see the frustration growing in his eyes as he realized how well trained I was.

For a split second, the rogue's eyes flickered behind me.

The movement was tiny, but icy fear flooded me, My heart dropped to my belly as my thoughts whirled, recognizing the look as an unintended warning. I ducked, dropping down to my stomach, and I let out a cry of pain as I felt fangs sink deeply into my shoulder blade. I twisted my head, snapping at the cat that clung to my back. It was Ghost; he had abandoned his fight with Wolfshade to spring at me. It looked like he had intended to go for a kill bite to the back of my neck, but overshot it since I ducked.

I snarled in anger and pain, my thoughts fading from coherent words to a blend of base, vicious instincts as pain over took me when Ghost ground his teeth together, tearing up more of my flesh.

Suddenly, the sting of his teeth vanished as Ghost's weight went limp on my back. I craned my neck to see Wolfshade hauling Ghost off of me; the pale grey tom hanging lifelessly by his neck from Wolfshade's jaws.

Wolfshade dropped Ghost's body in the dirt and turned to growl threateningly at the black-and-white cat. The black-and-white cat's gaze flickered nervously from Wolfshade to me, and back to Wolfshade, before turning and running off into the darkness.

"Are you okay?" Wolfshade meowed to me, having to speak in a loud voice above the sounds of yowling.

I nodded shakily, glancing down at Ghost and Sagewhisker, whose bodies now laid side by side.

"They killed Sagewhisker!" I said, swallowing against a lump in my throat as I gazed down at him.

Wolfshade gave me a nudge with his muzzle, it was half comforting and half rough enough to snap me out of my numb daze.

"We can't worry about him right now. We can't help him anymore, but there are more of our clan-mates who we can," Wolfshade said.

I nodded again, tearing my gaze from Sagewhisker's body.

"You okay?" Wolfshade repeated to confirm.

I drew myself up to my full height, forcing myself to take a deep breath.

"Go. I'm fine," I said.

Wolfshade touched his nose to my forehead in farewell before turning and charging back towards the center of the camp, where the thick of the fighting was. My gaze flickered around, trying to spot another rogue or clan-mate in need of help.

 _I should get a better vantage point._

 _Rockpile._

Using the sound of the stream and my memory of the layout of the camp to guide me, I journeyed towards Rockpile. I came across three bodies as I padded there. Two were rogues that I didn't recognize. The other was Waspwhisker.

I paused by his body for a moment, inhaling a sharp breath. There was a jagged wound across his throat. No more blood flowed from it, but the pool around his body was large, the dark red seeping into the sandy earth.

I forced myself to keep moving, repeating the words Wolfshade said about Sagewhisker to myself.

 _I can't help him anymore, but I can help our living clan-mates._

Still on my way towards Rockpile, I ran into five fighting cats. Leafstar and Sparrowpelt were battling against three rogues. They were holding their own, but I saw my mother panting, a fresh looking scar across her throat.

I felt a surge of anger that rattled to my core. With a snarl, I came charging into the fight, springing at the rogue that was fighting Leafstar. The rogue didn't see me coming, and I sprung neatly on her back, racking my back claws vigorously down her spine, pulling up chunks of fur and flesh. The rogue shrieked, giving a shake to try to dislodge me. I clung on though, digging my claws in and clenching my jaw in determination. After she exhausted herself with her attempts to shake me off, I sunk my teeth into the stuff of her neck and gave her back a strong kick with my hind-legs. The force of the kick knocked her to the ground, and now I stood over her trembling body.

Another lightning strike blinded my eyes with bright white light, followed by the rumble of thunder which seemed so close that it shook me.

 _"Get out of here,"_ I snarled close to the rogue's ear to be heard over the noise of thunder, baring my fangs.

I stepped off of her, and the rogue scrambled to her paws and fled.

I turned to my mom, seeing her battling off another one of the rogues, who promptly fled himself when he saw the rogue I was fighting was chased off, and he spotted me coming for him. Leafstar watched him run while panting to catch her breath. I glanced around for Sparrowpelt and the rogue he was fighting, but he seemed to have disappeared into the darkness.

"Are you okay?" I asked Leafstar.

She nodded.

"I lost a life so I'm feeling a little shaky," she meowed.

My stomach flipped.

Of course I knew my mother had the nine lives of a leader, but she hadn't lost one during the time I've been around.

"Oh StarClan, you're sure you're okay?" I asked again.

"Yes," she said. "My body just needs a little longer to recover from it."

She touched her tail-tip to my shoulder.

"I think we can win this," she said, her voice determined. "I'm going to go aid Sparrowpelt. Keep fighting. StarClan be with you, my daughter."

With that, Leafstar turned and bounded off into the darkness. I watched her go, for a moment, thinking that I should follow her.

 _But, if I can get to Rockpile, I might be able to get a clearer sense of the battle. Right now it's impossible to tell if we are out numbered or if the rogues are retreating or what's happening at all. But, from the vantage point of Rockpile, I can wait for another lightning strike and see how we are doing._

 _Then I'll be able to tell if we can really win this._

I turned and continued heading towards Rockpile. Once I reached it, I scrambled up a small boulder there, the wounds on my shoulder aching and my pads slipping on the wet rock. When I reached the top, I gazed out into the camp, squinting into the darkness. Here and there, I saw darting shadows and tossing shapes of cats fighting. I crouched down, muscles tense with anticipation.

 _Come on, thunder…_ I thought, hoping for another bolt of lightning.

But, the camp remained shrouded in darkness. Despite the sticky blackness that blanketed the camp like a dark wing, a flicker of nearby movement caught my gaze.

Ripper was prowling past Rockpile; his pelt was wet with rain and blood. Water flowed through his fur and many scars; his pelt was sicking to his sides, soaked entirely through. Crimson droplets ran from his mouth and over his chin; the blood was fresh, not yet washed away by the rain.

My heart started to pound loudly in my ears. My plan to survey the camp was forgotten as white-hot anger pulsed in me in time with the beats. The fur down my back bristled despite the water that weighed it down and soaked through my pelt all the way down to my skin.

He continued past, not seeing me. My claws scraped the rock under me, and I bared my fangs.

 _He will not get away from me this time._

 _"Ripper!"_ I snarled, prompting him to look up.

Our gazes met, his orange eyes flashing through the darkness.

"This is where it ends," I growled, rain pouring down my face as I looked down at him from my perch on the boulder.

He's eyes met mine unflinchingly; his gaze seemed just as angry as my own.

Like it sensed the inopportune moment, lightning flashed across the sky behind me, lighting the gorge up in silver light for a split second and casting my shadow down across Ripper. But, knowing how quickly Ripper could move, I didn't risk glancing away from him to look out and take stock of the camp. I kept my gaze locked on his. Then as quickly as the light came, we were standing in darkness once more. Thunder rumbled right after the strike, roaring in my ears, drowning out the sounds of yowling for a moment.

"It's a little funny how many times we've met in battle isn't it?" Ripper asked as the thunder died away, blinking water out of his eyes as he gazed up at me.

Ripper crouched down, preparing for my inevitable leap down at him.

"I guess the path I follow leads me back to you," Ripper said, his voice taunting.

I unsheathed my claws, baring my fangs in a ferocious snarl.

"This is the final time," I growled, my voice shaking in fury. "This is the end of this path. You've reached a cliff, and the only way to continue is to _fall."_

I leapt from the boulder, roaring in anger.

Ripper's eyes flashed, and, seeing there was no way to dodge me, he rose up on his hind paws to meet me instead. I bowled him over, my front paws slamming into his chest, and my fangs sinking into some loose skin around his neck. His claws met my shoulders, tearing out fur and flesh. But, he was off balance, and Ripper locked me in a violent embrace as we tumbled over with me on top of him.

We rolled for a few tail-lengths over the wet, sandy ground. A screeching sound of rage, the likes of which I've never known before, echoed in my ears. It took me a moment to realize the sound was shrieking out through my own mouth as fragmented images of Ripper killing my brother or my clan-mates flashed in my mind.

As I released his neck from my jaws, one of my paws found Ripper's muzzle, and I swatted it sharply, snapping his head to the side. Ripper growled in anger and snapped at my leg in response. I pulled my paw back and surged myself upwards while his fore-legs were still wrapped around me. I inadvertently dug his claws deeper into the flesh of my shoulders in the process, but I managed to fashion my jaws around his right ear, the only one he had left that was still mostly intact. I jerked my head back, leaving the ear in ribbons.

Ripper let out a high-pitched scream of pain. He released me from the shock of it, and I neatly sprung off of him. I circled him warily, panting as I recovered my breath. Blood flowed down the side of his face as Ripper raised a paw to touch the remains of his ear, giving a sharp intake of breath and a wince. My sides stung and ached from the slashing he gave me, but I ignored their discomfort. Ripper was also bleeding slightly from the puncture wounds my teeth left in his neck, but my bite had been too low to do any mortal damage.

Ripper's eyes met mine, burning brightly with fury and pain.

"That was a low blow," he growled. "Don't you have a Warrior Code that prevents such things?"

"There are no rules for you," I spat. "You are not worthy of it."

"Ha, if that's so," he said, shaking his head to fling blood out of his eyes. "If I'm above the rules, then why are you so mad at me? Shouldn't I get a pass for killing Nightstorm and Sharpclaw—"

I surged at him, a yowl shrieking from my throat. But, he was ready; he had wanted to provoke me. He met my flurry of blows with some of his own, giving a vicious snarl of satisfaction as one of them made direct contact with my side and sent me reeling. My paws slipping on the wet sand, I stumbled to the side, panting in pain at the throbbing blow to my shoulder.

Spotting that I was off balance, Ripper didn't hesitate, and he sprung at me with a vicious snarl.

Quickly, I dropped my shoulder and rolled under his leap, springing back to my paws after he flew harmlessly over my head, and swiping at him in response. He was quick on the turn, rising onto his hind-legs to meet my flurry of blows with his own massive paws. Abandoning my attack, I slipped back before the blows that he swung in retaliation could make contact. Any hit from them would send me reeling like before. My fighting position shifted as I raised myself onto my toes. I would have to battle him like I would a badger, where any blow could be lethal. I'd have to be fast and nimble, slipping in and out to batter him with hits, but never coming close enough for him to grab me.

With a hiss, I dashed in to slash his side only for a moment before darting back away from his claws. I did it again and again, still managing to avoid the full force of his blow while getting a couple of hits in myself. Ripper let out a low, continuous growl of anger and frustration as I persisted in avoiding his attacks.

But, I was panting now, and my legs were beginning to ache with not only pain, but also with tiredness. The speed that this manner of attack required was exhausting. And, the worst part was that Ripper didn't even look any worse for wear. It was like the scratches I was leaving on his pelt did nothing to him— they were just more scars to add to his collection, a tattered pelt which showed off his victories.

 _I can't let him exhaust me. I need to finish this quickly._

My mind whirled and a plan started to form. I staggered backwards from Ripper, exaggerating my panting. I dropped my head slightly, my chin bobbing down towards my chest like I was losing the strength to continue to hold it up. But, the whole time, I watched Ripper like a hawk.

 _Come on. Take the bait._

Ripper fell for it. Thinking me exhausted, he sprung at me, a victorious snarl on his lips. With unexpected lightning speed, I leapt out of his way and swung a hard blow at his face.

My claws scored across his cheek, knocking his jaws together hard. Ripper yelped and stumbled away, temporarily stunned. Quickly, I hit him again. I slammed my paw down on his head in a vicious strike which knocked him to the ground; his already injured jaw collided with the earth.

I danced away from Ripper as he struggled to get his paws back under him.

Ripper slowly pulled himself to his feet, spitting blood from his mouth.

I waited for him to get up, my eyes flashing in the low light. Seeing him panting on the ground, blood covered, and beaten looking, I felt the tiniest flicker of hesitation.

 _I've won. If this was a Clan battle, this is when he would submit and flee._

Ripper got his feet under him and slowly pushed himself up into a standing position. Our eyes met, and I felt my fur rise all down my back.

"What are you waiting for," Ripper spat, blood dripping from his mouth. "Don't you remember what I told you when we killed Silk? Mercy is weakness."

"I…" I growled, my voice trailing off.

Ripper gazed defiantly at me, his eyes challenging me to finish. My heart pounded in my ears as I gazed at him. My paws trembled with energy fueled by a lot of blood-lust and a little bit of fear.

I wanted to beat him him to a pulp. I wanted to make Ripper hurt for hurting me. I wanted to make sure he never hurt anyone I cared about ever again. But, I didn't want…

"...I don't want to kill you, Ripper," I said.

I didn't realize that was the truth until the words left my mouth.

Ripper and I just eyed each other in silence for a moment. Then the fur down his back slowly bristled.

"Why not? I deserve to die for all I've done," Ripper growled, locking his knees to brace himself in a standing position.

"You're right," I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "You killed my clan-mates. You killed my brother. You have done horrible things. You do deserve to die."

I shook my head, a quiet sigh escaping my mouth as my shoulders slumped.

"But, what's the point in your death?" I asked. "What would it do?"

Ripper tilted his head at me, his eyes widening with surprise at my words.

"Killing you won't bring Nightstorm back," I said. "Or, Sharpclaw. Or, anyone else."

Ripper flattened his ears, a look of confusion and conflict appearing on his face. I strode towards him, raising my chin.

"You are beaten, Ripper," I said to him in a powerful voice, blinking the rain water out of my eyes. "Run. Run, spend the rest of your existence somewhere far from here."

Ripper clenched his jaw, and I took another step closer to him.

"You say mercy is weakness. But, I showed you mercy once before, when I let you go the first time," I growled, continuing.

"And, look where that got you," Ripper said in a low voice, flicking his tail to indicate the battle waging around us.

"But, you weren't going to come back," I argued. "When I let you go, you were going to keep your word, right? If it wasn't for the unlucky circumstance that Wolfshade and I got swept into Kingdom territory, we would have never crossed paths again."

Now it was my turn to flick my tail, gesturing to the area around us.

"Well this time, we get to choose what happens to us. No luck involved. Let this be the last time our paths cross," I said. " _Run."_

"You asked me what's the point in me dying," Ripper growled quietly. "Well, I ask you this: what's the point in me living? What would I do? Where would I go."

"I don't know," I snapped in exasperation, shaking my head. "Where ever you want. Whatever you want. Try to find a little piece of happiness somewhere in this miserable world. But, whatever you do, just do it far from SkyClan."

Ripper stood still in front of me, his brow furrowed. I looked at him, my impatience rising.

I curled my lip back.

 _"Run!"_ I ordered.

 _"I can't,"_ Ripper said.

There was something strange in his voice. He looked at me, and I saw reluctance in his eyes. It was like a force stronger than himself kept him here.

Perhaps it was a strange sense of pride, where he felt he had to finish this battle he started.

Or, maybe it was a profound fear of loneliness, which made him prefer death to a life lived somewhere all alone.

Or maybe… the darkest part of him didn't believe he deserved the chance for freedom. Maybe he truly believed what he said— that he deserved to die.

Whatever it was, it forced Ripper into action. He leapt at me shakily, one final defiant snarl curled on his lips. It was easy for me to dodge his spring. His claws only brushed my right ear, and I felt a small sting as they took a nick out of it. But, the pain was only a faint echo in my mind, like it happened somewhere far away from me.

When Ripper landed, it was heavy. He grunted on impact, starting to turn towards me. But, he was slow from his wounds. He wasn't able to ready himself as I slipped in, past his defenses, so close to him I could feel his breath on my cheek, and I slashed my claws across his throat.

Ripper let out a gasp as my claws tore through his flesh. I stepped away from him as he fell down to his knees. He panted there for a moment before fully collapsing to the ground, his eyes closing.

My chest heaved as I took deep, panting breaths. I stood, staring down at him. Blood was flowing from his torn throat. Slowly at first, but the pace was steadily increasing.

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. My paws hesitant, I crept closer to him, so I was standing over his collapsed form. I watched his still moving flanks. I watched as his beating heart throbbed blood from the wound in his throat with every beat. Each pulse was needed for life, but now it also brought him a paw-step closer to death.

I opened my mouth to say something.

 _Say what? What do I have left to say?_

 _He's dying. I won the fight._

 _Why am I still standing here?_

"Why did you do it?" I asked, in a low voice.

 _I have to know why. What made him do it. What forced his paw._

"Why didn't you run away?" I said.

Ripper's orange eyes flickered open, and he slowly looked up at me.

"I couldn't run... Not without leaving something for you to remember me by," he gasped, weakly flickering his ear to indicate my own.

I blinked, baffled at first. I raised a paw to touch my newly torn ear, feeling the sticky wetness of blood mingled with water there.

 _What? To remember him by…_

It slowly dawned on me that it was a joke.

Ripper was _dying,_ and he was making a _joke_.

My eyes widened in surprise, and I gave my head a small shake. I couldn't believe this cat. He was using his dying moments to taunt me one last time.

 _What kind of cat does that?_

My brow furrowed at the thought, my mind fixating on it. I studied the bleeding tom on the ground before me. His eyes had drifted shut again, his breaths rattling weakly in his mouth.

 _What kind of cat does that…_ my thoughts echoed.

 _What kind of cat would he have been like if he wasn't born in a group of rogues that understood only blood and death? If Silk wasn't his mother?_

I felt the blood dripping down from the new nick on my ear and onto my forehead, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah…" I said.

My voice trailed off; I was uncertain what to say to this dying cat. He was my enemy. He was dying because of me. But, for some reason, there I was, wanting to provide him with some bit of comfort.

 _I guess the least I can do is joke back._

"Yeah, thanks Ripper. Now you've ruined my pretty looks," I said.

Ripper purred weakly in reply, cracking an eye open again.

"Nonsense. No one could do that, beautiful," he said.

Ripper closed his eyes again.

 _"…Thank you,"_ he whispered, the blood pouring more quickly from his neck now.

My eyes flew wide in surprise at his words.

"For what?" I meowed.

Ripper didn't reply at first. He just lay there, his eyes closed, his breaths growing shallower as his flanks struggled to pull air in. Then I saw his jaw working like he was struggling to make the words come.

"For showing me… life could be different…" he managed to say, panting laboriously between phrases. "Even if… it was too… late for me."

Ripper's eyes slowly flickered back open, and they met mine, the last of the orange fire in them burning weakly. I saw an expression enter Ripper's eyes, one that I've never seen on his face before—regret.

"But, maybe… everything would've turned out different… if I was born here… huh Princess?" Ripper murmured, blood bubbling on his lips.

I blinked, feeling a flash of surprise as he echoed the sentiment of my thoughts from only a few heartbeats before.

"Maybe… then… I'd have a spot… in StarClan waiting for me," he whispered, his eyes drifting shut.

Ripper coughed weakly, and then his whole body shuddered, his blood violently gushing out of him, flowing around my paws.

I swallowed, my brow furrowing.

"So, you meant it?" I asked, searching his face with my gaze. "When you asked to join SkyClan?"

"I meant it... when I asked," Ripper murmured, his eyes shut. "But now I understand…"

"Understand what?" I asked.

"It wouldn't... have worked," Ripper said through a cough.

The coughing wracked his body for moment, blood flying from his jaws.

"You asked… why I couldn't run," Ripper continued in a weak whisper as the coughing abated. "It's because… that little piece of happiness… you talked about..."

"Yeah?" I asked as he paused to pant for breath again.

His scarred and bleeding face looked oddly serene.

"…That doesn't exist for something like me… Not here… Not anywhere," he finished, his voice fading away.

"Ripper…" I muttered.

Ripper stirred. His eyes flickered open and our gazes met for the last time.

"'Ripper'… I never liked my name," he rasped in a barely audible voice, his bright orange eyes losing focus like his mind had drifted somewhere far from here. "But 'Lightning'… is a nice name."

He sighed, his final breath drifting from his lungs, and the spark in his orange eyes faded.

Ripper was dead.

I took a step backwards, away from him, but all the while still staring down at the broken, scarred tom.

I looked at him, a strange hollowness inside of me. Earlier today, even only a few moments ago, when we were locked in vicious combat, I thought I would relish in his death. That it would bring me joy to kill the cat that killed my brother and caused so much destruction to my Clan. But, it didn't.

I didn't feel grief at it, but I wasn't pleased either. I felt… only pity. Pity towards a sad, broken creature, that died a sad, broken death.

As I looked at Ripper's now glassy, orange eyes, I blinked, a strange realization settling over me.

 _That was the only time he's ever said my name._

I reached a paw out towards his face.

"Where ever you are," I said quietly. "I hope you find peace."

Then I shut his eyes with my paw.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Sorry this chapter took longer than I intended to put out! I had a busy few weeks and also this chapter is a long one, and I also spent longer than normal editing since I wanted the battle to as climatic as possible. Hope you like it!_

 _Reviews:_

 _Princessaurora2004: Thank you! I haven't read the A Vision of Shadows Arc yet, so I don't know what Leafstar is like in those books, but I liked her in Firestar's Prophecy and SkyClan's Destiny, and I tried to do her character justice._

 _Wolf and Lightning are very cute together; I love writing scenes of them having fun and just being happy around each other :) I also like their dynamic with Cherrytail since she used to be both of their mentors. I imagine Cherrytail and Wolfshade have the sort of relationship where they are always teasing each other and driving the other up the wall (Wolfshade being Cherrytail's annoying younger brother basically haha,) but it's rooted in a deep affection for each other. While Cherrytail and Lightningfire's relationship is a bit sweeter, more like a relationship between a close aunt and niece :)_

 _Haha confession: I sort of forgot the day-light warriors existed too. But, good thing I remembered, or else they just would've vanished from the story lol._

 _Also, thank you! I like Owlpaw a lot too. She's clever and fun and full of energy (pretty similar to her mother Cherrytail, when she was an apprentice,) which makes her really fun to write. That also makes her a bit of a paw-ful as an apprentice, and you're right that Lightningfire should pay more attention to her. I imagine that once the battle and everything is over, Lightningfire will be able to giver her the time that she deserves :)_

 _(Also, side note, I noticed you accidentally typo-ed Lightningfire's name as Lightningfall. But, I wanted to say that is a seriously awesome name haha, and I'm like "wow, that's so cool, why didn't I name Lightningfire that instead")_

 _Guest: Haha war has finally arrived. What did you think of it?_

 _Guest: Hi! I promise I wrote a long response to your insightful review about Ripper, Lightningfire, and the prophecy. But, I'm going to wait until next chapter to post it because it will be the last chapter, so I won't spoil anything that way!_

 _Sharpbreeze: Hi there! Nice to see you back again! I'm glad you're still liking the story :) Also, last Chapter, 79: "Hurricane Rising" looks correct on my computer, it should be the right one :( the website must have been glitching for you. I hope it sorted itself out and you are able to read it and this new chapter!_

 _Somerandomperson: Hello! Thank you and thanks for reading! I'm really glad you've been enjoying the story!_


	82. Chapter 81: Sunrise Breaking

I raised my head, the sounds of the fighting that was going on around me echoing in my ears. The strange hollowness still filled me as looked around the camp. The blackness was less completely now; it seemed like more of a sticky grey. A little bit of light was fighting it's way through the clouds, and I was able to more clearly make out my clan-mates around me.

 _Behind the clouds, dawn must be breaking._

I looked at the forms that surged and fought against each other still.

 _Ripper's dead. The rogues have no leader. Why are they still fighting us?_

 _Enough. No one else needs to die._

 _I have to do something._

I steeled myself. I bent my head down, fastening my jaws around Ripper's scruff. Hardly knowing how I managed to summon the strength, I half sprung, half scrambled onto a low boulder at the base of Rockpile, dragging Ripper's body up along with me. I let Ripper's limp body lie at my feet as I raised my head.

"Everyone stop!" I yowled, my voice ringing out above the sounds of fighting. "Ripper is dead!"

I saw a few rogues' gazes flicker over to me, and I saw their eyes widen in surprise. Their paws faltered, and their pelts fluffed out in fear as they realized their prince was dead, leaving them leaderless. A few tail-lengths away, I saw Egg lunge towards a distracted rogue who stared up at Ripper's body, ripping out huge paw-fuls of the rogue's fur.

"Egg! I said _stop!"_ I hissed at him.

Egg backed away from the rogue, his face furrowed with confusion.

"Hasn't enough blood been shed?" I yowled, my gaze sweeping over the cats on the battle field.

The fighting still didn't stop immediately. I watched cats continue to snarl and slash at each other. My gaze flickered over them all. There were bodies on the ground, but masked by blood, it was hard to tell who they were, friends or rogues. I felt a huge jolt of relief as I saw Wolfshade's pelt among the standing. His fur was soaked black by rainwater, but it was still surging with energy and life as he battled.

"SkyClan has won!" I yowled at the top of my lungs to be heard over the pouring rain and the snarls. "Stop fighting! Why are you doing it? What's the point? Ripper is dead! No one is ordering you to anymore."

My shouts were slowly drawing more attention. More and more rogues noticed Ripper's body at my paws and like a sluggish wave, the realization trickled through the cats. Some rogues turned tail and fled immediately at the sight of their dead leader, tearing into the forest in different directions. Other rogues backed away from my clan-mates and cowered in place, looks of fear and confusion on their faces. The sounds of battle finally begun to quiet as a fragile truce fell over the cats.

Wolfshade lifted his head and shot a curious look at me from across camp as he slowly backed away from the rogues he was battling. I noticed my clan-mates padding and limping over to each other, supporting the wounded, crouching over the dead, grouping together to shoot hostile glances at the rogues that remained in camp.

The rogues looked petrified. Some fled, but no one yelled or signaled a retreat. The cats just looked lost and confused, glancing from one another like they suddenly had no idea what they were doing here.

My gaze scanned the cliff-face, and I sighed in relief when I saw Wrenpaw, Rosepaw, and Sootypaw still perched up there, still guarding the nursery, and seemingly mostly unharmed.

My attention was immediately snapped back down to camp as Shrewtooth gave a victorious yowl and led a charge with a few of my clan-mates, surging forward to chase some of the remaining rogues off.

"I said _stop!"_ I yowled so loudly my voice cracked. " _Everyone_ stop fighting! Clan-mates, that means you too!"

"What?!" Patchfoot shouted incredulously in response as he and the rest of Shrewtooth's patrol came to a stumbling stop.

"What is going on, Lightningfire?" Leafstar said, limping over to Rockpile.

She shot a wary glance from side to side at the rogues that remained in camp, like she didn't expect this truce to last. I looked at her, but then looked away again, and instead of replying to her, I swept my gaze over the cowering, confused rogues.

"I know," I said in a loud voice, blinking rain out of my eyes. "That many of you are just as much victims of Silk and the Kingdom as we are."

The looks of confusion on the rogue's faces deepened.

"We fought against each other tonight," I said. "But, that doesn't mean at our heart we are enemies."

More rogues were trickling away, fleeing into the forest, and I thought that maybe they would all just run off before I could even finish talking. But, then I noticed a few of them were watching me with eyes that were wary, but hesitantly interested.

"Only a few sunrises ago, Ripper spoke to me about joining SkyClan," I said.

Now the confusion on the rogue's faces turned to shock.

"He wanted to join us," I said, my voice ringing out across camp. "But, I refused him. I didn't trust him, and I couldn't forgive him for killing my clan-mates."

I looked down at the blood-stained tabby and white tom at my paws.

"But, by doing that I pushed him away," I continued slowly. "That's the reason that we fought each other tonight."

My gaze flickered back up to the cats in the clearing.

"Ripper was a victim too, of Silk, of the Kingdom," I said.

Some cats gave growls in disagreement at my words. I noticed they came from my clan-mates and the rogues alike.

"I know he did terrible things," I continued, my brow furrowed. "I know he hurt many of you. He killed my brother. And, I killed him. I'm not asking for any of you to forgive him or to miss him or to even like him. I'm just asking for this cycle of violence that broke Ripper, and killed Nightstorm, and _your_ friends, and _your_ families to stop. Right now, right here."

As my words drifted away, a deep silence fell over the cats that were watching me. I looked down at my mother again.

"I want to make things right," I said to her.

"What are you proposing?" Leafstar replied, blinking her blue eyes cautiously up at me from her wet-furred face.

I looked up from her and out across camp again.

"The cats you know as Whisper, Tattered, and Shiver joined our Clan," I said. "They fled the Kingdom; they shed their old ways and learned to be SkyClan cats. They are noble warriors and friends. We wronged them greatly by giving them up, and I hope that they will find it in themselves to forgive us."

"I suspect that Ripper must have ordered some rogues to keep them prisoner somewhere in the forest while you fought with us," I continued. "I ask that you lead us to them, so that they can rejoin us if they wish… And, in return, I propose that we will give you the same choice. You may leave, but if you wish, you may join us."

Murmurs and yowls erupted from the crowd of my clan-mates. Some cats sounded outraged, other just seemed surprised. Some seemed like they didn't know what to think

"These rogues that we just fought with, in _our_ Clan?" Fallowfern cried. "That killed Waspwhisker?! Here? Living in our camp? Around our kits?"

"I understand your reservations," I said, keeping my voice calm and even. "I'm sure everyone will agree that it is reasonable to take some time for the rogues to prove their loyalty, but they can start by showing us where Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver are."

My clan-mates began to talk amongst themselves, their voices rising. I watched them from my perch, the rain pouring down my back.

"Leafstar!" Tinycould said, raising her voice above the crowd. "What do you think about this?"

My clan-mates quieted again, turning to look at Leafstar.

Leafstar hesitated for a moment.

"We need to rescue Whisperheart, Tatteredtail, and Iceshiver," Leafstar agreed. "But, Lightningfire… are you sure about this?"

My gaze flickered from Leafstar to a ginger she-cat rogue. She was bleeding from her shoulders, attacked by one of my clan-mates, but when she looked up at me and our gazes met, she didn't look away.

"We have two choices," I said, still looking at the ginger she-cat. "One: we can hate these cats for attacking us, and they can hate us too. And, we live in a world where we fear that our enemies will grow in strength in the shadows and come and attack us again. Or… two: we decide not to be enemies. We see that these cats did not attack us because they hated us, but because they feared that they would be killed by their own leaders if they disobeyed."

I nudged Ripper's body with my paw.

"Silk and Ripper are dead. These cats are no longer forced to fight out of fear for their lives." I said. "They are free cats."

My gaze flickered from the ginger rogue to Ebonyclaw. My gaze shifted from her to all the other day-light warriors.

"And, the SkyClan I know does not hate outsiders, just for being non-Clan born. We embrace them because they make us stronger," I said. "SkyClan does not stand alone. We can't, and we won't."

My gaze swept over all of my clan-mates, finally coming to rest on Wolfshade.

"I know this is not my decision to make," I said. "I am not SkyClan's leader. And, I know I am asking a lot of all of you. But, I also know that you all are good, and noble warriors, and that you will do what you think is right."

Wolfshade's eyes stared into mine, giving me a slow nod. The hollowness inside me began to fill a little bit as I felt small light kindling in my chest from the warmth of his gaze.

"So what do you say?" I asked.

"I am with you," Wolfshade said, stepping forward.

"So am I!" Owlpaw said, her fluffy fur plastered to her sides with water, but her eyes bright as she stepped forward.

At the sight of her, I gave a quiet sigh that she was alright.

"I trust Lightningfire," Cherrytail meowed, chiming in.

"I do too," Creamclaw said in a quiet voice.

"I'm with her too, if it means we can get Iceshiver back," Lionclaw said with a growl.

My remaining clan-mates glanced at each other. Some looked uncertain. In the silence that followed Lionclaw's proclamation, a small mottled grey rogue crept forward, still bleeding from many scratches and torn ears.

"Tattered is my litter-mate," the grey she-cat meowed in a quiet voice. "I don't want him to be hurt. I will take you to where he is."

I nodded to the rogue, feeling grateful that none of my clan-mates spoke up against her.

"Leafstar?" I asked, looking down at my mother.

Leafstar hesitated.

Another lightning strike flashed down from the sky before she could reply. I flinched at how close it seemed. The lightning struck somewhere in the near distance, and my bones seemed to rattle with the deafening thunder that echoed immediately afterwards.

My nose twitched as a new scent entered into the scene of water and blood—smoke.

"I smell fire," I said, my fur bristling as a sudden, new fear flooded me, sending my heart racing in my chest.

Leafstar craned her head around to stare out into the distant forest. A new light had appeared out there in the distance— orange and yellow and flickering.

"The lightning must have hit a tree in the forest," Leafstar said.

A surge of panic rippled through my clan-mates.

"Won't the rain put it out?" I asked, my pelt bristling with fear as I jumped down from the boulder and next to Leafstar.

"It should eventually, but if the fire is big and hot enough, it will still spread," Leafstar meowed in a grim voice.

"Everyone stay in camp!" Leafstar yowled, raising her voice over the worried voices of my clan-mates. "There is not a lot of wood and plants in the gorge to feed the fire if it spreads here. But, I want everyone to come down and shelter by Rockpile and the stream just in case. Someone fetch Echosong, Lichenfur and the queens!"

The camp suddenly sprung back to life, the battle forgotten for now as we faced the new danger. Leafstar glanced over at the remaining rogues as my clan-mates scrambled to obey Leafstar's directions.

"I suggest you all stay here too," she meowed grimly. "Or you can leave and risk the fire, your choice."

The rogues shot worried looks at one another.

"What about Tattered?" the grey rogue asked, stepping forward.

 _"Foxdung,"_ Leafstar swore, looking out into the forest fire.

"We can't just leave them to the fire!" I said, staring intently at my mother. "We have to go after them!"

"I know," Leafstar growled.

She raised her voice again.

"I will be leading a patrol to rescue Tatteredtail, Iceshiver, and Whisperheart," Leafstar said. "Their imprisonment is my fault, and I will not let them suffer for my mistake."

"What is your name?" Leafstar asked the grey rogue.

"Fern," the grey she-cat said.

"Will you take me to them?" Leafstar asked.

Fern nodded, her eyes determined.

"Yes," she said.

"I'm coming too," I said, stepping to Leafstar's side.

"And, me," Lionclaw said, bounding over.

"I'll come!" Owlpaw said, running to me with her fur bushed out.

"No apprentices," Leafstar said firmly. "It's too dangerous."

Owlpaw's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in protest, but Cherrytail padded over to her daughter's side before she could say anything.

"You heard your leader," Cherrytail told Owlpaw.

Owlpaw shot me a concerned look.

"I'll be fine," I told her.

"You better be," Wolfshade said, limping over to me. "But, I'll come too, just to make sure."

I noticed Wolfshade was heavily favoring his hind-paw, and my brow furrowed.

"But, you're hurt!" I protested.

"Everyone here is hurt," Wolfshade replied curtly.

"You're barely standing on that paw. You won't be able to run away from the fire," I argued.

"I'm fine, Lightningfire," Wolfshade growled.

"Don't you dare kill yourself trying to keep me safe," I said in a low voice so only he could hear. "What do you think you'll accomplish by coming with us— are you going to fight the fire to keep me safe? If you come with us and you trip because of that hurt paw, and the fire gets you, and you die, _I swear to StarClan,_ Wolfshade, I will hate you forever!"

"We don't have time for this. The fire is spreading," Leafstar snapped impatiently, stepping between me and Wolfshade. "Wolfshade is a full grown warrior, and he can decide if he is able to run or not. But, Wolfshade, if that paw is not usable right now, it'll be too dangerous for you to join us; you will have to stay in camp."

Wolfshade clenched his jaw. Then he bowed his head.

"Fine. I'll stay," he murmured. "But, Lightningfire, please be safe."

I touched my nose to his, drawing his gaze back up.

"I will," I said in a quiet voice. "I love you. See you soon."

"I love you too," he murmured. "Come back quickly."

I nodded.

"Lead the way Fern," Leafstar said.

The grey she-cat turned and bounded out of camp, with me, Leafstar and Lionclaw in tow.

As we ran, I could feel my wounds aching. None of them were worrisome enough to slow me, although fresh blood did begin to ooze from the deeper ones when the movement re-opened the cuts. I clenched my jaw against the pain and ignored it.

Fern's paws were certain as we sprinted through the gorge and into the forest. The shadowed undergrowth rustled around me, but whether it was from the retreated rogues or forest creatures fleeing the fire, I couldn't tell. As we ran, the moments stretched slowly on like the creeping drip of sap down the side of a wounded tree, and I felt my heart sinking down into my stomach.

Fern was leading us right towards the forest fire.

The increasingly powerful scent of smoke stung my nose and mouth, worming its way down my throat and into my lungs, stinging all the while. I coughed as I ran. My eyes were stinging as well and water streamed down my cheeks from my burning eyes.

"Ripper was keeping them this way!" Fern meowed.

I felt a surge of gratitude as she turned to the left, and we were no longer running straight at the fire, now only parallel to it.

My ears pricked as a loud crashing noise echoed through the forest.

"What was that?" Lionclaw panted.

"The fire may have consumed enough of a tree to knock it down," Leafstar replied grimly through her panting.

I could feel the heat of the flames on my pelt even though we were still a ways away from the main part of the fire. There were small fires here and there nearby though that had been born from the large blaze. We had to run around them. I heard the small fires quietly hissing their anguish at the pouring rain, as the water beat them down.

"We're getting close!" Fern yowled before falling into a coughing fit.

"Is someone there?" a voice shouted, echoing after Fern's.

"Iceshiver!" Lionclaw yowled, putting on a burst of speed, heading towards her cry.

"Lionclaw?" Iceshiver answered, her voice sounding hoarse.

My heart pounding, I increased my speed, following Lionclaw around some bushes. As we rounded the undergrowth, I saw Iceshiver and Tatteredtail limping towards us. I headed straight towards them. Tatteredtail was leaning heavily on Iceshiver's shoulder. He was bleeding from one of his hind-legs, and he kept the wounded leg pulled up off the ground completely. Behind me, Fern and Leafstar appeared from the undergrowth.

"Fern?" Tatteredtail meowed incredulously when he spotted his sister.

"Are you all right?" Lionclaw gasped, anxiously circling Iceshiver.

"I'm fine," Iceshiver coughed. "Tatteredtail is hurt though."

"Thank StarClan that we found you," Leafstar gasped.

"How did you get hurt?" I asked. "And, where's Whisperheart?"

"When the fires started, I saw an opportunity to attack the cats guarding us while they were scared and distracted by it so that we could escape," Tatteredtail growled. "They seemed to be more worried about the fire than us, so we got away, but they still gave me this."

"The fires and the smoke separated us from Whisperheart when we were running away," Iceshiver said, worry in her voice. "We don't know where she is."

Leafstar shot a worried glance in the direction of the nearby fires. I followed her gaze. The forest was glowing faintly, the trees outlined in an eerie orange. Although I couldn't quite see the fires, I could tell they were close.

"We need to get away from these fires and back to camp," Leafstar said.

"What about Whisperheart?" I asked.

Before Leafstar could reply, Tatteredtail shot her a suspicious look out of narrowed eyes.

"How can we trust you?" he asked, his voice accusatory. "You're the one that let Nightstorm give us to the Kingdom!"

"It's alright," I said, stepping forward. "We defeated Ripper and the Kingdom. Leafstar is right that the camp will be safe."

Leafstar bowed her head.

"I understand why you are mistrustful of me Tatteredtail, and I'm sorry for that," she said. "Once we are all safe from the fire, we will talk about a way that I can make it up to you."

"But, we still need to find Whisperheart," I interjected.

"Lionclaw and Fern," Leafstar said, turning to them. "Help Tatteredtail and Iceshiver back to camp. Lightningfire and I will stay to look for Whisperheart."

Lionclaw nodded and moved to take Iceshiver's place in supporting Tatteredtail. Fern cast a glance at Tatteredtail before stepping forward.

"If it's all the same to you," Fern meowed. "I'll stay and help look for Whisperheart."

Leafstar looked surprised.

"You don't want to go with your brother?" she asked.

Fern hesitated for a moment before shaking her head.

"I want to prove that you can trust me," she said firmly.

Leafstar nodded, and I saw something almost like admiration in her eyes. I echoed her sentiment.

 _Fern may not be a warrior, but it looks like she has a brave heart._

"Lets go then," Leafstar meowed.

We continued in the direction that Tatteredtail and Iceshiver were coming from at a quick pace.

"Can you scent anything, Lightningfire?" Leafstar said, glancing back at me.

I inhaled deeply, but the only thing I could scent was a sticky, overpowering smell of smoke. I coughed hard, trying to expel the stinging air from my lungs. I shook my head at my mother as I coughed. Leafstar turned forward again, abandoning that plan to locate Whisperheart.

"Whisperheart!" Leafstar yowled. "Whisperheart!"

"Whisperheart!" I echoed her call.

We ran through the muddy, wet, smoke-filled trees, calling Whisperheart's name into the seemingly endless forest of smoke. The fires were creeping closer as well, I could feel their heat reaching through the trees and through the smoke and radiating onto my pelt again.

After we ran for a while, Leafstar came to a stop to cough into her shoulder, Fern and I stopping alongside her.

 _"Whisperheart!"_ I yowled at the top of my lungs, my voice echoing out into the trees.

Leafstar shook her head.

"It's no use!" Leafstar meowed, hacking into her chest. "There's no way we can find her in this smoke!"

"We can't leave her. We have to keep looking," I insisted, but my voice was horse from the smoke and water streamed down from my eyes from its stinging.

"If we stay here, we will only get ourselves killed in the fire or from breathing in too much smoke," Leafstar said in a hoarse voice.

I turned on her, my fur pricking.

"You already abandoned her once!" I growled, my words biting. "I won't let you do it again!"

Leafstar's ears pinned back against her head, and her blue eyes widened in shock. A moment of silence rang out between us.

Fern cast a wary glance between me and my mother, noting the tension cracking in the air between us.

"Maybe Leafstar is right," Fern said, taking a step forward so that she was strategically positioned between the two of us. "Maybe Whisperheart isn't even here. Maybe she already went back to camp."

I hesitated.

I couldn't deny the logic in Fern's words, but leaving still felt _wrong._ We came here to find Tatteredtail, Iceshiver, _and_ Whisperheart. We couldn't just go back with having only located two of the three of them. I stared at my paws, my brow furrowed.

"Come on, Lightningfire," Leafstar murmured in a quiet voice, drawing my gaze back up to her.

Then a quiet, strangled meow drifted into my ears from the smoky abyss that surrounded us.

"Shh… did you hear that?" I murmured, my ears pricking in alertness.

Leafstar's brow furrowed.

"I think I did hear something," she meowed.

 _"Whisperheart!"_ I yowled again.

A faint, weak cry echoed mine.

"I'm here!"

We took off in the direction of her voice.

"We're coming!" I yowled as we ran.

"I'm here!" Whisperheart said again, a little louder this time.

As we turned around some trees, through the grey smoke, I saw a dense bramble bush shake faintly, and a small dark ginger form came stumbling out of it.

"Whisperheart!" I said, rushing over to her.

She collapsed onto the ground, like it had taken all of her strength just to drag herself out of the bush.

"Lightningfire…" she murmured, her voice sounding even more harsh than usual.

Whisperheart's pelt reeked of smoke and I noticed some of her fur was singed on the ends.

"She's weak from breathing in a lot of smoke," Leafstar said. "We need to get her to some fresh air."

I nodded, crouching down next to Whisperheart.

"Can you stand? Here, lean on me," I said.

With Fern's help, we got Whisperheart back to her paws. Whisperheart was panting too heavily to speak, her amber eyes glinting an almost feverish golden color. But, she leaned her weight against my side, and we managed to stumble away.

"We already found Tatteredtail and Iceshiver," I told Whisperheart. "They're safe and heading back to camp, away from the fires. We will be there soon too."

Whisperheart just coughed in response, her flanks still panting desperately for air.

Leafstar led us back in the direction of camp, and we slowly left the fires and the worst of the smoke behind us. As we staggered along, I could feel my breaths easing in my lungs as the air became clearer. But, Whisperheart's breaths still rattled harshly in her throat.

As we staggered around a mound of roots, Whisperheart's paw stuck one, and she tumbled down. I crouched at her side, nosing her flank.

"Get up, Whisperheart. We have to keep going," I said.

Whisperheart just shook her head, panting heavily.

Cold raced through me as it felt like my heart dropped down into my stomach.

"You came back for us," Whisperheart managed to rasp from the ground between pants, pausing for a heartbeat to cough hard. "I knew you would. I told Tatteredtail and Iceshiver you would."

"Shh, Whisperheart, save your breath," I said quietly, nosing her side again.

"It's alright," she gasped, giving a quiet, mangled purr. "My voice is already messed up. It's not like it can get any worse."

She gave a wheezing breath, falling into a coughing fit.

"Lightningfire, I can't breathe," she said, panting frantically.

"You're going to be alright," I said firmly. "We're taking you back to camp, remember? Echosong will fix you."

Whisperheart's brow furrowed like she suddenly remembered something important.

"SkyClan… won?" Whisperheart said, gasping for air.

"Yes," I said. "Ripper is dead."

Whisperheart's gaze flickered to Fern.

"Why… is she here?" Whisperheart gasped.

"Fern helped us find you all," I said. "After we defeated them, I offered the Kingdom rogues a chance to join SkyClan."

I glanced at Fern before looking back down at Whisperheart.

"They battled us, but I know that they aren't evil. They were just like how you were before," I said in a quiet voice, gently touching her side with my paw.

"That's… good," Whisperheart said, through panting breathes, her amber eyes half-closing. "Lightningfire…you've always been… a good… friend…"

"Come on, Whisperheart, stay awake!" I begged, my stomach clenching as I watched her drooping eyelids. "SkyClan needs you!"

"Help… them…" Whisperheart murmured in a weak voice, her flanks struggling for air. "The ones… like me… they deserve… a chance… …I have to go… see Crash now…"

I nudged the singed fur on her flank with my muzzle, swallowing around the lump in my throat.

"Please Whisperheart!" I said, my voice breaking as I crouched over her. "I don't want anyone else to die!"

Whisperheart didn't reply. Her eyes had turned glassy, and her breaths still panted from her mouth, but they came more weakly now. The frantic energy that they had moments before was ebbing away. Slowly, they came to a stop.

I felt a tail gently brush over my side.

"She hunts with StarClan now," Leafstar murmured, pressing her side against mine comfortingly. "We need to keep moving and get back to camp. The rain hasn't put out all of the fire yet."

Feeling numb, I nodded slowly and stood up. Fern moved in to lift Whisperheart's crumpled form, nudging herself under her so her lifeless body slumped across her back.

The walk back to camp passed in an uneventful blur.

I felt utterly exhausted. Physically, emotionally, and mentally. It was all I could do to keep my paws moving one after the other. The exhausted fog that covered my mind was almost a relief from the torment of grief.

As we stumbled through the gorge, I cast a glance behind me. At the edge of the horizon, I saw some of the fires in the distance still burnt, but only weakly now, sputtering in the pouring rain, fighting and losing against the water. I looked away and continued towards camp. As long as the rain didn't stop, the fires should be all be out soon.

The scene that greeted us as we padded back into camp was a bleak one. Rogue bodies were still scattered throughout camp. Ripper's body was still draped across a low boulder at the foot of Rockpile.

The sight of my drenched, wounded and sad clan-mates pierced through my foggy, exhausted shell, and all of my emotions came rushing back in like a storm. I sighed heavily, screwing my eyes shut as Fern and Leafstar took Whisperheart's body away, moving to lie her next to the rest of our fallen clan-mates.

 _Think of the cats that survived._ I tried to comfort myself. _I still have Wolfshade, Owlpaw, Wrenpaw, Rosepaw, Cherrytail, my mother…_

"Thank StarClan you're alright," Wolfshade said, interrupting my thoughts as he padded up to me.

My eyes flickered back open. I noticed he must have seen Echosong, since he had fresh herbs and cobwebs plastered on his wounds.

I bowed my head.

"I'm alright, but Whisperheart didn't make it," I murmured, heavily taking a seat on the wet ground with a sigh.

Wolfshade sat beside me, comfortingly wrapping his tail around me.

"SkyClan lost many good cats today," Wolfshade said quietly, glancing over at the line of bodies laid out for their vigil.

Waspwhisker was at the far end, then Ravenfur, then Sagewhisker, and finally Whisperheart.

"I wonder if we will be able to find Brackenstorm's and Nightstorm's bodies to bury," I murmured, half to myself. "Or if the fires got to them first."

Wolfshade gently nudged my shoulder with his nose, drawing my attention out of my dark thoughts and back to him.

"It's okay," he whispered. "Their bodies don't matter anymore since they hunt with StarClan now."

I sighed, closing my eyes.

"I know," I said quietly.

I fell into silence for a moment before my eyes flickered back open again.

"I just don't know how we are going to heal from this," I murmured, looking around at my clan-mates as they padded past me with low tails and bent heads. "We've lost so much."

"We're SkyClan," Wolfshade meowed confidently, raising his head. "Healing and rebuilding _is what we do_. No matter what we face, nothing will ever destroy us."

I bowed my head, letting out another soft sigh. I wished the confidence in his words would encourage me, but right now, they just fell flatly on my ears.

"Doesn't that seem like a sad life to live?" I said. "Constantly struggling on, one day after the other, fighting to survive? Will it always be like that? Will SkyClan every find peace?"

Wolfshade was quiet. My gaze drifted up to the grey sky. There was only a faint lighter patch in one of the clouds that marked the morning sun behind it.

 _"Peace…"_ I murmured, before he could respond, the words of the prophecy coming back to me.

 _Peace will come in the sunrise after the storm._

"Did we do it?" I asked, my gaze flickering back down to Wolfshade. "Do you think we made it to peace, like the prophecy said? This prophecy that's followed me since the day I was born… has it finally be fulfilled?"

Wolfshade didn't immediately respond, instead he just searched my face carefully with his gaze in a thoughtful silence. As he mused on my words, my gaze drifted away from him and out into camp again. I gazed at the group of rogues that remained in camp. There wasn't too many of them, only five cats, but they were keeping to themselves, fending off the hostile glances from my clan-mates. Only Fern was brave enough to venture into the main part of camp, among my clan-mates to speak to Tatteredtail and Leafstar.

"What about the former rogues? Do you think they will impact the peace in the prophecy?" I asked in a low voice. "How do I know that offering to let them stay is the right decision?"

Wolfshade was silent for a moment longer, following my eyes out into camp. Then he touched his muzzle to my cheek, drawing my gaze back up to him. He looked deeply into my eyes for a moment before he spoke.

"There will always be conflict and struggle in our lives," Wolfshade said. "That's the price we pay as a Clan cat. It's the price of our freedom."

He shook his head.

"So, it's foolish to think that no one will ever die again. Or, that we will never mourn or grieve. Or, to think that any sort of 'peace' will last forever," he continued. "Conflict is a part of life. Just as much as love, joy, and peace is."

Wolfshade wrapped his tail more tightly around me, glancing away from me to stare out into the distance.

"Lightningfire, I cannot see the future. I do not know how this will turn out," Wolfshade meowed slowly, he gaze rising to meet the sun in the eastern sky.

Despite the rain that still fell, a thin beam of sunlight had managed to pierce its way through the clouds, and I watched as its golden ray fell down gently on Wolfshade's face. I felt my wet pelt warm under its caress, like a mother curling herself around her kit.

"But I do know one thing," Wolfshade continued.

Wolfshade turned his gaze back to me, his green eyes shining in the soft morning light.

"I love you, and whatever struggles we may face in the moons to come, we will make it through them just like how we survived all of the struggles in the past."

Wolfshade twined his tail around mine, his eyes burning with the same brilliance as the sun that had finally fought its way through the storm clouds, and now shone down through the rain with a fierce, golden radiance. Despite the sadness and grief that weighed down my heart, my breath caught in my throat at the sight of him.

The strength of the love that I felt left my heart aching in my chest. But, it was a good sort of pain. It was an ache which signified healing, like a growing pain, or the twinge of a sealing scar.

"Together," Wolfshade said.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _The end of the story is the Epilogue, which is the next chapter. So I recommend you going there to finish the story, then come back here and read this if you like. But, I would like to keep the last chapter neat and free of my ramblings so, I'm going to post my thoughts about the end on this Author's Note here._

 _I will also do a little bit of trivia/behind the scenes facts for fun about random things about Lightning's Destiny and the characters as a commemoration of the end of the story. This will be posted on my profile page, so please click on my account if you would like to read them._

 _Please also check out ToxicUniverse's amazing drawing of the iconic badger fight scene! You can find it on their deviantart page under their username ToxicUniverse. It's super cool, so you should definitely do a quick google search for deviantart and ToxicUniverse and check it out!_

 _Now onto my sappy final note:_

 _Well first of all… Ahhhhhh, oh my God, I can't believe this story is finally finished. I'm like proud and relieved and sad all at the same time. There were times when I just started the story, or when I was in the middle of it, it felt like it would never end. Like it just seemed to far away that maybe I wasn't even certain that I would make it through to here. But, I did it!_

 _It is definitely a bitter-sweet feeling of accomplishment, though. Like, I'm proud that I finished the story, but I'm going to miss writing it. It was even tough for me to hit submit to put this chapter up. Although I'm sure Wolfshade and Lightningfire will continue to live on in my heart, and I will still think about them and draw them and stuff, it wouldn't be quite the same as writing about them._

 _It's been a crazy ride, and this is the longest story I've every written. It's clocks in at 440+ pages (that's like about Warrior's Super Edition length! A real book! Can you believe I wrote as much as a real book?!) and I know that even though it's not perfect, just the fact that I wrote and finished it makes me feel like maybe one day I'll be able to accomplish my dream of writing and finishing my own book of original fiction._

 _I'm so glad you guys have been here to read it and that you've stuck through all the way to the very end. I'm super grateful for all of the support that you've all given me. From the bottom of my heart: thank you for reading. This has been an absolutely amazing experience. I will continue work with my other warriors fan-fiction, Frosted Heart. And, I've been playing with ideas for some other warrior cats fanfics, which would be shorter mini-stories, around Kill or Be Killed: Silk's Reign length. But, those projects will be done slowly, since I want to concentrate my energy on writing original fictional works rather than just fan-fiction._

 _Thank you all again so much! And, goodbye for now :)_

 _**The final reviews:**_

 _Guest review from Chapter 79: Yeah, Lightningfire sort of half-heartedly apologized for it, but she wasn't very genuine, just more saying it to try to save herself and her friends. Lightningfire still definitely did not trust Ripper fully at that point, so although she was still outraged at the betrayal, she wasn't entirely surprised. I don't think it's until now, after his death, that Lightningfire realizes that she should have given him more of a chance. Ripper is also at fault though. A part of him has always believed that he was a monster, so when Lightningfire also seemed to not believe in him, it was easy for him to slip back into his old ways. Ripper's story is a tragic one, but Lightningfire learns from him and her mistakes from dealing with him, which is why she decides SkyClan should give the rogues a second chance by offering them a place in the Clan._

 _And, since the story is coming to it's close, I won't be spoiling anything by giving my interpretation of the prophecy. So, my favorite kinds of prophecies are the sneaky ones that can come true in a variety of ways, which fits with with a main theme that I was trying to explore in this story: the idea of destiny and free-will. Poor Lightningfire, through no fault of her own, gets this prophecy shoved on her from the moment that she was born. And, then for a lot of the story, she spends time fighting the prophecy, and struggling with the idea of if she's doing the right thing, is she doomed to do something terrible because this prophecy says so (destiny,) or does she have control over her own choices (free-will?)_

 _In the end, the answer is sort of a mixture of both. Like Lightningfire was always destined to be a great cat, but whether that greatness was reflected in destruction or in goodness, it was up to her to decide. And, Lightningfire chose to be good. But, no matter what she chose, the prophecy would have still come true:_

 _You definitely nailed the basic premise of what I intended in the prophecy, which is basically: There will be a powerful SkyClan cat born, who will have great significance. (which could be beneficial to SkyClan, but they also have the potential to cause great destruction if they use their powers wrongly.) SkyClan is being threatened by an outside force (Ripper/the Kingdom.) However, once the outside force has passed, there will be peace._

 _I will leave it up to the reader to decide whether the powerful SkyClan cat was Nightstorm, or Lightningfire, or both. And, although SkyClan wins the war against the Kingdom, they could have just as easily lost. In which case the "peace" at the end of the battle would have been "Roman peace" like you were talking about (Nice quote by the way!)_

 _CloverBudgie: Thank you! And, I actually really like Ripper too, and writing his death was sad for me! He's very much a sympathetic character, and I can't help but feel bad for him because a lot of the reason that he's bad isn't his fault, but the environment that he was raised in. But, he's still got a spark of good in him, and if things had been different, he might have been redeemed. Sadly, though, due to a combination of Lightningfire not sticking up for him when he needed it most, and his deeply internalized self-loathing, him believing that he's bad becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, ending in his tragic death._

 _Princessaurora2004: I went back and checked for the typo, and I think for the spot you were saying, I did mean to write "vantage." A vantage point is like an perch that gives you a good view of the area around you, so by using Rockpile, Lightning is trying to get a good view of the battle :)_

 _1) Thanks! I'm glad you liked the plan, haha it took me a while to come up with it ;)_

 _2) I was lazy, so I actually didn't look up the tail-gestures from Battle of the Clans lol. I probably should have for accuracy, but I can always say that maybe SkyClan does the tail gestures differently since they are isolated from the other Clans haha._

 _3) Thanks, I'm glad you liked the fights! And, writing Ripper's death was sad for me too! I like his character even though he's in conflict with Lightning a lot. He's got a pretty tragic story so I still feel bad for him._

 _Somerandomperson : Aw, thank you so much! That's really nice of you to say about it being just as good as Erin Hunter's books :) And, I'm glad you liked Silk's Reign! Hm Lightningfire naming one of her kits after Ripper could be a nice sentiment, but I feel like Lightning wouldn't want her kit worrying about why she named him after a cat that once attacked SkyClan. And, also since Ripper didn't like being called "Ripper" I don't think he would have been happy with someone else having to be called that!_


	83. Epilogue: A New Morning

**_Two moons later:_**

"Creamclaw is ready to see you now!"

The voice jolted me awake from where I was dozing at the base of Rockpile. I leapt to my paws.

Wolfshade, who was napping by my side, grumbled as I accidentally hit him in the face with my tail in my haste to jump to my feet.

"Sorry, Shade," I purred as he cracked his eyes open to cast me a grumpy look, before he too rose to his paws with an overly exaggerated sigh.

I turned to Maplekit, Bouncefire's and Plumwillow's son, who was bouncing from paw to paw in front of me.

"Is Creamclaw alright? How about the kits?" I meowed to him, nervousness suddenly swirling in my belly.

"They're all fine!" Maplekit meowed happily.

With a quick turn, he started to head back in the direction of the dens, his orange tabby tail sticking straight up into the air.

"Echosong even let me help! She showed me the right herbs to use to help Creamclaw's milk to come! It's borage!" Maplekit said over his shoulder in a voice almost breathless with excitement.

Wolfshade and I exchanged an amused look at the pure look of delight on Maplekit's face as he talked about the herbs.

"That's great Maplekit," I purred, following the kit in the direction of the nursery with Wolfshade at my shoulder.

Maplekit's amber eyes shone at the praise, his tail sticking straight up in delight.

I purred to myself.

 _There is no doubt who SkyClan's next medicine cat apprentice will be._

A feeling of satisfaction settled over me as I lifted my head and looked around the peaceful camp. A cool leaf-fall breeze whistled through the gorge, ruffling my sun-warmed fur. I raised my head, breathing in the sweet, musky scent of the forest on the breeze with a contented sigh.

The wounds of the battle from two moons ago were still here. They showed on our pelts and in the torn undergrowth, but our territory was healing along with our flesh.

 _Although, our scars will remain…_

My torn ear twitched as my thoughts turned to Ripper for a moment.

Then I spotted Vixen, a pale ginger she-cat and former rogue, training with Ebonyclaw and our newest warrior, Sootyfoot, by a patch of ferns at the edge of camp. Tatteredtail was napping in a pool of sunlight next to Fern. Rope, a pale cream tabby tom, Patchfoot, Egg, and Adderpaw were just returning from patrol. Adderpaw's head was held high, and his mottled deep ginger pelt was sleek in the sunlight. It was jarring sometimes how much he looked like his father, Sharpclaw. Sometimes, when I caught a glimpse of him from the corner of my vision, I thought he was his father come back to life.

Adderpaw, Ripplepaw, and Owlpaw had all grown into fine young cats, and soon it would be time for their warrior ceremonies. They had essentially completed their training, and I only had their final assessments left to plan. I purred softly as I thought of my apprentice, Owlpaw. She burned with the same ferocity Sharpclaw did, and she had grown into a fantastic fighter and hunter. Soon Leafstar would call me into her den to discuss warrior name choices for the three of them.

I purred happily to myself again.

For her, I was thinking _Owlflight._

 _I think she'll like it._

"It's funny isn't it?" I said to Wolfshade in a soft voice so Maplekit couldn't overhear.

He twitched an ear in my direction, glancing over at me.

"What's funny?" Wolfshade asked.

"The way things feel the same and so different at the same time," I said, my gaze drifting over the former rogues.

They blended so seamlessly into my clan-mates now that it would be nearly impossible for anyone looking in from the outside to tell the difference. Five former rogues; Vixen, Fern, Rope, Sparks and Fitz, had chosen to join SkyClan following the battle, and all have so far turned out to be devoted and caring clan-mates. They reveled in the way our Clan worked together and were happy for the companionship we offered them. With time, patience, and hard work, they were well on their way to winning over even the most stubborn of our clan-mates.

Although, in the crowd, I still noticed the missing pelts of our friends and families that were lost in the battle and the time leading up to it.

But, somehow, SkyClan was still here without them. Existing and growing in unexpected, but surprisingly beautiful ways.

"Everything has changed, but it looks like it hasn't," I added thoughtfully.

"I know what you mean," Wolfshade said, following my gaze towards the former rogues.

"Not everything's changed though," he said, glancing back over at me.

I looked over at him, our gaze meeting.

"There are somethings that never change, no matter what," Wolfshade said, his voice surprisingly certain.

"But, time is relentless," I insisted, my brow furrowing. "Everything eventually changes in some way."

"True," Wolfshade admitted. "But, just because something changes, doesn't mean that it's _different_ though."

I tilted my head at Wolfshade.

"I don't understand," I said.

"What I'm trying to say… Like, what I mean is…" Wolfshade attempted.

Wolfshade shook his head.

"I don't know," he meowed, his fur fluffing in slight embarrassment.

"No, what is it?" I asked in a coaxing voice, my curiosity now maximally peaked since he seemed like he didn't want to talk about it.

Wolfshade hesitated for a moment.

"I forgot you once right?" he said. "But, I love you now. As much as I did then. Or, more probably."

I purred quietly to myself, a soft warmth kindling in my chest at his words.

 _I wonder if hearing that he loves me will ever not light up my heart?_

 _I hope it never stops._

"It's changed from how it was…" Wolfshade continued. "But, it's still here. It's still the same somehow. Like a tree that was burned down, but it's seed survived so it grew back. Maybe it looks a little different. It's taller or leafier or something, but it's still the same tree."

I watched him thoughtfully for a moment before glancing away from him. I felt a powerful stirring my chest, like inside of me some sort of creature had awoken.

The feeling was too strong to keep inside, and the words started spilling out of me.

"I suppose we're both like that then—changed, but the same…" I murmured quietly as we continued walking. "I love you, Wolfshade. I always will. My tree's roots spread so deeply into the ground next to yours, no storm can shake it. Our branches twine together so much, it's impossible to tell what is yours and what's my own."

I glanced back over at him, watching his deep grey pelt gleaming in the sunlight. My gaze slowly lifted to his green eyes. They steadily met mine, shining with more love and affection than could ever be put to words. He was silent for a heartbeat like he was gathering his thoughts.

"Even when my muzzle turns grey with age and my fur falls out?" Wolfshade finally managed to say, along with a faint purr.

I loudly purred back in reply. I stopped walking, and Wolfshade paused as well, waiting for me. I reached one of my paws out to gently lay it on his scarred face for a moment.

"Shade…" I said slowly through my purr, my eyes shimmering mischievously. "You are aware, right, that your whole pelt is grey, and you're already missing fur?"

A loud purr rumbled in Wolfshade's chest, his eyes twinkling.

"And, you haven't left me yet!" Wolfshade said brightly. "So, it looks like I'm good."

He nudged me with his muzzle, his whiskers twitching in delight.

"You're stuck with me forever!" Wolfshade crowed gleefully, like he had won some sort of great victory.

I rolled my eyes, purring.

"But, to answer your question, yes, I will still love you even when you're old and even _more_ grumpy than you are now," I said cheekily, stretching up on my tip-toes to rasp my tongue over his forehead.

"Hey! I'm not grumpy!" Wolfshade protested, his brow suddenly furrowed in a grumpy expression.

I just purred and trotted away, continuing towards the cliff and leaving Wolfshade to follow.

My attention was drawn away from him as we reached the base of the trail that led up the cliff to the dens, and Rosepaw and Wrenpaw trotted past us with moss in their jaws. I waved my tail at them in greeting.

"Aren't you coming up to see the kits?" I asked them.

"We're going to put the moss down first, then go up with Mom," Wrenpaw said, his meow muffed from the moss in his mouth.

"I can't wait!" Rosepaw purred, her eyes alight with excitement.

I nodded a goodbye to my younger siblings as they continued past with their moss.

"Come on!" the bouncing Maplekit said excitedly, dashing up the trail.

I purred and obeyed, turning to scale the cliff to the nursery behind him, with Wolfshade following me.

"There you are! Did you get the deputy?" Hazelkit meowed to her brother, bounding out of the shadowed entrance of the nursery to greet her brother, Maplekit.

"Oh!" she squeaked at the sight of me and Wolfshade trotting up the trail, fluffing her tortoiseshell fur in surprise.

"So-so-sorry Lightningfire! I didn't see you there," she meowed, her eyes wide as we padded up to her.

"No problem, Hazelkit," I purred, walking by her and entering the nursery.

Wolfshade followed me in, before leaning in confidentially at my shoulder.

"You've got an admirer," Wolfshade whispered with a purr.

I followed the glance he shot a back at Hazelkit, who was watching me from the nursery entrance with wide eyes.

"It must be a deputy thing," I said to Wolfshade, giving a whisker twitch of amusement. "I remember back when I was a kit, I used to think Sharpclaw was the strongest, scariest cat that had ever lived."

"What do you mean 'back when you were a kit?' I still think he was the scariest cat to have ever lived," Wolfshade meowed, purring in amusement.

"Ha, oh really? Have you met his daughter, Owlpaw?" I said, an image of my fiery white and ginger apprentice flashing in my mind. "Spend an evening hunting with her, and you're lucky not to get your whiskers singed off."

"Owlpaw might have her father's temper," Wolfshade purred. "But, she has her mother's size. I think I could take her."

"What she lacks in size, she makes up for in sheer tenacity," I said, whiskers twitching in amusement as we padded deeper into the nursery. "I think she'd put up more a fight than you'd expect."

I bumped Wolfshade with my shoulder.

"Besides, I've beaten you in plenty of fights," I said to him teasingly. "And, Owlpaw has gotten good enough to beat me sometimes, so she'd at least be a match for you."

Wolfshade shook his head, giving a loud, dramatic sigh.

"Lightning… I hate to tell you this, but I have a confession to make. Because I love you, I've been letting you win our fights," Wolfshade said in his best serious voice.

I tried to swallowed my purrs, but I was unable to stifle them all.

"No you haven't, you _liar,"_ I said, my voice vibrating slightly with purrs.

Wolfshade tried to look offended, but he couldn't stop his whiskers from twitching in amusement.

"Excuse me?" he said, his eyes wide.

I didn't have time to respond before Briarspot's and Nettlesplash's three kits surged forward to bounce around our paws like a miniature whirlwind.

"Lightningfire! Wolfshade! Lightningfire!" Hollowkit meowed.

"Watch my hunting crouch, Lightningfire! I've been practicing!" Timberkit said, leaping in front of his brother.

"No! Wolfshade, look at _my_ hunting crouch!" Jaggedkit meowed, shoving both of his brothers aside.

"Hello kits," I purred down at the young tumbling toms.

I glanced up at Briarspot, who was tiredly watching us from her nest a few tail lengths away.

"Hello Briarspot" I purred to her, the kits still wrestling and tumbling around my paws.

I flinched as one of them careened into my side.

"Oops, sorry Lightningfire!" Timberkit said, blinking up at me for only a moment before diving back into the fray.

"It looks like you've got your paws full with these little tom-kits," I commented to Briarspot, lifting my leg so that Hollowkit didn't run smack into it.

Briarspot just let out a huge sigh in response.

"Oh no! A badger is attacking!" Wolfshade said, before giving a deep growl and lumbering around in a circle—he evidently was the badger.

Timberkit, Jaggedkit, and Hollowkit let out an excited chorus of squeaks and high-pitched growls.

"Get him!" Jaggedkit declared.

The three kits surged away from me, and towards Wolfshade. My path now clear, I gave Wolfshade a grateful nod before quickly striding over to Briarspot.

"How are you holding up?" I said to her, a faint purr of amusement in my voice at her rowdy family.

"Would you like to take the kits for a sunrise?" Briarspot asked in a voice that sounded only half-joking. "They adore Wolfshade, and they love you too, the hero of our Clan."

"No thank you," I said with a purr. "I've got a Clan to run, and besides, I'm not ready to raise kits…"

I turned, watching Wolfshade crouch down to gently bat at the kits with his huge grey paws, before he let them overtake him and clamber on his shoulders. Wolfshade growled playfully, shaking his pelt, then collapsed to the ground with a dramatic sigh of defeat, the kits squealing with delight from their perches on his shoulders.

"…Yet," I added quietly, my gaze softening as I gazed at him.

"You and Wolfshade's kits would be so cute!" Briarspot said with a purr, following my gaze. "I bet you would have three of them! They'd be precocious little ones."

"Briarspot!" I meowed in protest, my gaze snapping back to her, my fur flushing with embarrassed heat.

But, as I glanced back at Wolfshade, I couldn't stop myself from imagining a little she-cat with his dark fur and my amber eyes, or an orange tabby tom with his same shimmering grey-green gaze.

"Alright. Alright. I'll stop," Briarspot purred. "You're here to see Creamclaw, anyways, aren't you? She's in the back."

Briarspot nodded her head towards the heavily shadowed back of the den. I could just barely make out the shape of a cat in the nest in the darkness there.

"I had to move up here by the entrance to keep my kits from disturbing her," Briarspot meowed, before heaving a sigh. "I don't know what I'm going to do with those toms. I can't wait until they're apprentices, and they can spend their days being a pain in their mentors' tail instead of mine!"

I let out a purr of amusement at Briarspot's exasperation.

"And, I'm sure as soon as they're apprentices, you'll be wishing that they were small again and you were all back in the nursery," I teased, shooting my friend a knowing look.

Briarspot rolled her eyes.

"I know…" she sighed. "I'm secretly such a softie; I can't help it!"

Briarspot waved her tail at me in a dismissive gesture.

"But, enough about me. Get going over to Creamclaw. I won't keep you here any longer," she said.

"Alright," I purred. "It was nice seeing you, Briarspot."

She purred in response, and I padded around her nest, heading deeper into the cave.

"Hey! Jaggedkit! Stop biting Timberkit's tail!" I heard Briarspot scold from behind me.

I glanced back at Wolfshade to see him disentangled himself from the kits. He quickly caught up to me, joining me at my shoulder to pad towards to back of the cave.

I sighed at the soft, reassuring brush of his pelt, trying to quell the strange nervousness that had suddenly appeared in my belly and swirled more and more strongly as we drew closer to Creamclaw.

"Hello, Creamclaw," I meowed as we walked up to her nest.

Creamclaw stirred in the nest of moss and feathers, raising her head.

"Hello, Lightningfire. Hello, Wolfshade," Creamclaw meowed softly, her blue eyes gently glowing in the low light. "Come over. I have two little kits that would love to met you."

"Two?" I whispered, the nervousness in my belly suddenly turning to excitement.

My heart fluttered in my chest, and my breath caught in my throat as I drew closer to Creamclaw and leaned over the nest to see them. Creamclaw moved her fluffy grey tabby tail to reveal two tiny, newborn kits at her belly.

There was a fluffy tom with mostly creamy-white fur, but patches of black on his back, paws and face, and, sleeping at his side, there was a short-furred dark grey she-cat.

"By StarClan," I whispered, my heart aching in my chest. "They're beautiful, Creamclaw. Nightstorm would be so proud."

"I hope so," Creamclaw meowed, glancing up at me with a bittersweet expression on her face.

I gazed at the little kits, my kin, seeing Nightstorm in the shape of the tom's ears and the sleekness of the she-cat's pelt. I sighed, closing my eyes as the grief of losing my brother rushed over me again, like an old wound torn back open. I lowered my head to breathe the kits' scents in deeply and give each of them a gentle lick on their heads.

I straightened, opening my eyes to watch them continue to sleep peacefully. I leaned against Wolfshade's side, grateful for his supportive presence.

"What are their names?" Wolfshade meowed to Creamclaw.

"Her name is Stormkit," Creamclaw meowed, looking down at her grey-furred daughter.

"And, he is Morningkit," she added, turning to look at her son.

Wolfshade pressed his cheek to mine for a moment before lowering his head to give each of the kits a sniff.

"Those are beautiful names, Creamclaw," Wolfshade meowed as he straightened.

I nodded in agreement. I swallowed, my heart so full of happiness in my chest, that it felt like it might burst. I hardly knew what to do with the powerful emotion that thrummed in me. I pressed my face to the soft fur on the ruff of Wolfshade's neck, his sweet mint-pine scent wreathing around me soothingly. As I pulled my face back out of his pelt, I saw Creamclaw glance up at me.

"I wanted to name one of them after their father," she said quietly, lowering her head to nuzzle Stormkit's dark grey fur.

An image of Nightstorm appeared in my mind, along with Brackenstorm, and Sharpclaw, and everyone who was lost in the battle with the Kingdom. They were up in StarClan now. I hoped that they were able to look down and see how we were doing. I hoped that they were proud of us.

 _May these kits have long, happy lives._ I thought, but I wasn't sure if it was just to myself, or if I was requesting it from StarClan.

My mind shifted to another StarClan cat, Cloudstar, my ghostly guardian. I had not dreamed of him since before the battle. My nights since then had been peaceful, undisturbed from visions of battles or prophecy or Cloudstar. But, I hoped that he could still see us, and that he was pleased with me and the new path that I led our Clan down.

I lowered my head to breathe in the scent of the two little kits again.

These tiny kittens were our Clan's future. They were the new life, rising from the ashes of the old.

"I know Nightstorm would have loved that name," I murmured quietly, my gaze flickering from Stormkit to her brother. "And, why did you pick 'Morningkit' for him?"

Creamclaw glanced over at her son again. She let out a soft purr, her gaze softening.

" _Morningkit_ … to remind us that there is always hope," Creamclaw said, her voice quiet, but underlaid with a tone of unwavering certainty.

"That no matter what happens, the sun will rise again."

...

...

...

 _Fin_


End file.
